Monday Okpebholo, a serving senator, has been sworn in as the governor of Edo State.
Okpebholo took his oath of office at about 1pm on Tuesday during the inauguration ceremony in Benin, the state capital.
As the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okpebholo won the September 21 off-cycle governorship election in the state.
He polled 291,667 votes to defeat Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came second with 247,274 votes.
Olumide Akpata, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), came third with 22,763 votes.
Dennis Idahosa was also sworn in as the deputy governor of Edo.
Dignitaries, including Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, chair of the governors’ forum; Philip Shaibu, reinstated deputy governor of Edo; and other governors from the party, were present as Okpebholo took the oath of office.
The new governor later rode in an open-top van around the stadium, acknowledging cheers from supporters.
