The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented certificate of return to the winner of the Edo State Governorship election, Monday Okpebholo, of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The ceremony took place at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

INEC declared Okpebholo winner of the Saturday, September 21 election after polling 291,667 votes to beat his closest contender, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 247,274 votes.

Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) came a distant third in the race with 22,763 votes. Fourteen other candidates contested the seat but got less than the three frontline candidates.

The APC candidate cleared over 10 of the 18 local government areas, leaving the PDP candidate with marginal victory in the other local councils. The APC gained control in two of the three battleground senatorial districts in the state.