The All Progressives Congress has won the by election into the National Assembly conducted the National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday
The commission declared Dr. Joseph Ikpea and Omosede Igbinedion of the APC as the winners of the by-elections for Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia Federal Constituency respectively.
INEC Returning Officer for the Edo Central Senatorial District, Professor Kingsley Ubaorji, held at Ubiaja, the headquarters of Esan South-East Local Government Area, Dr. Ikpea, the winner of the polls with 105,129 votes.
Joe Okojie of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who came second in the election polled scored 15, 146 votes.
Ikpea who spoke shortly after his declaration as the senator-elect dedicated his victory to God, and the people of the district.
He said they have “chosen vision over sentiment, progress over politics-as-usual.”
“This victory reaffirms the people’s faith in our capacity to deliver. I will not disappoint them.
“I will work hand in hand with our governor, our party, and community leaders to ensure that every part of Edo Central feels the impact of quality representation.
“Governor Monday Okpebholo is a leader of exceptional qualities, strategic, selfless, and deeply connected to the people. His support has been a stabilising force throughout this journey.”
The two seats in the National Assembly became vacant in September 2024, after the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo who was then the senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District governor, and Dennis Idahosa, who hitherto represented Ovia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, as deputy governor.
Also, the Returning Officer for Ovia Federal Constituency by-election, Professor Clement Ighodalo, said that the APC candidate, Omosede Igbinedion pulled a total of 77,053 votes to emerge winner of the poll.
He added that the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Johnny Aikpitanyi, scored 3, 838 votes; while the candidate of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Sandra Asemota, garnered 925 votes to place first and second runners-up respectively.
Igbinedion who was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2011, lost her reelection bid to the incumbent deputy governor, Idahosa.
She equally lost another attempt to Idahosa in 2023 and had to defect from the PDP to the APC when Idahosa was nominated as the APC governorship candidate for the September 2024 gubernatorial election in the state. She clinched the APC ticket after Idahosa assumed office as deputy governor.
