The United States has praised the peaceful conduct of the Edo State governorship election, held on September 21, 2024, which saw All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Monday Okpebholo declared the winner.
In a statement released on Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, commended the people of Edo State for maintaining order during the electoral process and urged calm following the announcement of results.
“The U.S. Mission in Nigeria commends the people of Edo State for the widely peaceful conduct of gubernatorial elections on September 21 and reiterates calls for calm following the announcement of results,” the statement read.
Ambassador Mills also praised Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki for his appeal for peace, urging all stakeholders to respect legal procedures if they wish to challenge the election outcome.
“We commend Governor Obaseki’s appeal for peace and urge all stakeholders, including INEC, to support established electoral processes and respect legal procedures to challenge results.
“Transparency and due process are crucial to maintaining public confidence in any democratic system,” Mills emphasized.
He added that the U.S. remains committed to promoting free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria, reaffirming its support for Nigeria’s democratic processes.
On Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that Okpebholo won the election with 291,667 votes, defeating Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 247,274 votes.
Labour Party candidate Olumide Akpata came third with 22,763 votes.
