On Thursday, President Bola Tinubu urged Senator Monday Okpebholo, the incoming governor of Edo State, to put the state’s development first and assured him of the full support of the federal government and the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF).

At a meeting with the All Progressives Congress party leadership in Abuja, President Tinubu provided the advice while the newly elected governors of Edo and Idahosa, the deputy governor, presented their certificates of return.

He stressed the value of effective leadership and providing the people of Edo State with results.

Now that you are the governor-elect, you may focus on development. Our goal is to collaborate with you. You have witnessed the APC’s progressive governors. They really are forward-thinking. Collaborate with them. Get the hang of things, and I think you can handle the challenge,” he remarked.

The President continued, recognising that democracy faces difficulties, especially in developing nations like Nigeria. “You have earned the victory,” he said. Particularly in developing democracies and economies like ours, democracy is challenging.

You are aware of the challenges associated with navigating democracy if you hear grievances from nations such as America. But it’s still the greatest system of governance.

Senator Okpebholo and his deputy were praised by the President, who called them a “good symbol of people ordained by God to work together.”

“We were partners at the end, but you started out as rivals.” You represent good understanding in politics because the leader of our party has experienced it previously.

He remarked, “He ran as the front-runner in Kano, moved up to the second spot, and then took the position of deputy before becoming governor.

In order for the Edo gubernatorial election to be successful, President Tinubu recognised the contributions made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, the progressive governors, and the APC leadership.

“I noticed Adams Oshiomhole beaming with happiness. I was struck by the governors’ real appearance in Edo. They stood up for the party. They put a lot of effort into the party,” he said.

In addition, President Tinubu praised INEC and the security services for ensuring that the election was well-organised and peaceful, with no incidents of unrest or violence.

I have to give the security services credit. The anxieties vanished right away, he claimed, and there was no violence or disturbance. People cast their ballots and returned home in peace.

The party’s leadership and members were exhorted by the president to stay unified and committed to implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Ignore the loudspeakers. I perform a great deal of statistical results sampling. You have to take politicians’ assertions that “all politics is local” seriously.

“We saw a man who won the Central senatorial district and a candidate who got a seat in the South senatorial district; we did a match—which proved out to be a winning match,” he said, pointing to the stability in the Edo North senatorial district.

President Tinubu also spoke on the electorate’s resolve to cast their ballots in the rain without using an umbrella and the intense downpour that occurred in Edo on election day.

The President referred to Senator Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the party, when he spoke about the rainy election day in Edo, saying, “It is a very punching illustration.”

The national chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Ganduje, praised the governors, the president, and all other stakeholders for their leadership and support.

An amazing thing happened on election day: despite the intense rain, many people chose to cast their ballots outside without using umbrellas. “Your Excellency, we won the election because the people were persuaded that our party is the one that should be supported,” he remarked.

The APC National Chairman stated that winning the next gubernatorial elections in the states of Ondo and Anambra will be the party’s next priority.

“Part of our program, Political de-marginalization of Southeast geopolitical zone,” is the Anambra election.

Being too small for us, the APC only has two states in the Southeast. More states from the Southeast geopolitical zone are required, he declared.