Senator Monday Okpebholo has been sworn in as the governor of Edo state, taking over from Godwin Obaseki.

Okpebholo took his oath of office at about 1pm on Tuesday at the inauguration ceremony in Benin, the state capital.

As candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okpebholo won the September 21 off-season 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, candidate of the Labour Party (LP), came third with 22,763 votes.

Dennis Idahosa was also sworn in as Edo deputy governor before him.

Dignitaries including Vice President Kashim Shettima, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, chair of the governors forum; Philip Shaibu, reinstated deputy governor of Edo; and other governors under the aegis of the party were in attendance as Okpebholo took the oath of office.