*Tinubu, Ngige Congratulate Gov On Re-election
BY GODWIN IJEDIOGOR AND CHUKS COLLINS
THE Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has expressed gratitude to the people for re-electing him for a second term in office in last Saturday, November 8, governorship election, pledging to work harder in his second tenure.
Soludo extended a hand of fellowship to other contestants, urging them to join hands with him in building a better Anambra State.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Sunday, November 9, officially declared Soludo, candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), winner of the election.
Returning Officer for the election and Vice Chancellor, University of Benin (UNIBEN), Professor Edoba Omoregie, who declared the incumbent governor winner, disclosed that Soludo polled a total of 422,664 votes, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Nicholas Ukachukwu, came second with 99,445 votes.
According to Omoregie: “The election was contested and a winner emerged, the candidate with the highest number of votes cast, and percentage have all been computed.
“I, therefore, declare that Soludo Charles Chukwuma, of the APGA, having satisfied the requirements of the law, has scored the highest number of votes in this election, is hereby, declared the winner, and return elected.”
Speaking to journalists at his Isuofia, Aguata Local Council, country home, Soludo said: “We were 16 candidates, but only one person could emerge. We’ve had our fun and our fights, but now it’s time to work together for the good of our people.
“This is a moment to say congratulations to the people of Anambra. Four years ago, we won with 112,000 votes, but this time, you spoke even louder with 73 per cent of the total votes cast. That is a clear show of solidarity and confidence.”
The governor enthused that his party won in all the 21 local government areas of the state, losing only six out of 326 wards, adding: “This is a strong and emphatic statement of the people’s will.
“We are moving into the next phase of our development agenda from gear three to gear four.”
Soludo commended President Bola Tinubu for allowing a free and fair electoral process, describing him as a true democrat, and the new INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), for conducting what he described as “one of the most credible elections in recent years.”
According to him: “Except for a few isolated incidents, the election was free, fair and transparent. As of last night, INEC had uploaded about 99 per cent of the results. We already knew where the election was headed.”
The governor, however, expressed sadness over the killing of one of his supporters, a councillor from Owerre Ezukala community, who was shot dead shortly after casting his vote, saying: “It’s heartbreaking. We understand the attack came from across the border. It was unfair and condemnable.”
Soludo reaffirmed his commitment to serve the people diligently, assuring: “Ours is an assignment with a deadline, and no minute will be wasted.”
Meanwhile, Tinubu, while congratulating Soludo, said his re-election is an affirmation of his visionary leadership.
Tinubu, in a congratulatory message, stated: “The overwhelming victory he recorded in Saturday’s poll has now made him the third governor in the state’s political history to win a second term.
“I must also congratulate the people of Anambra State, the security agencies and INEC on the peaceful and successful conduct of the governorship election.
“Soludo’s re-election is a testament to his visionary leadership and the significant progress the state has made under his guidance.
“Soludo, the Solution, has demonstrated that indeed knowledge is power and that academic principles can be applied in serving the people, undergirding accountability, transparency and prudent management of people and resources.”
He continued: “I visited Anambra State in May this year, where I inaugurated some projects executed by the Soludo administration. I highlighted the good thinking behind the landmark projects being embarked upon by Mr. Solution. That experience is indeed remarkable and will remain indelible in my mind.
“I commend Soludo for bringing discipline, grace, brilliance and a fresh perspective to governance in Anambra. Under him, Anambra is living up to its motto as the Light of the Nation.
“I urge Soludo to be magnanimous in victory and to seek the cooperation of his opponents in the just-concluded elections.
“I assure Soludo of my unwavering support, and I look forward to continued collaboration between Anambra and the Federal Government.
“The victory of the opposition APGA in the election again demonstrates the vitality of our political system and the fact that victory for any progressive and hardworking leader can hardly be encumbered or denied.
“I must also thank the new INEC chairman and his team for conducting what observers have described as a credible election, based on the reports I have received thus far.
“I charge the Commission with maintaining the standards and further improving its performance, so we can continue to strengthen and deepen our electoral system.”
In the same vein, a former governor of the state and immediate past minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, congratulated Soludo on “a well-deserved victory,” describing his first term in office as “excellent” in the management and prudent use of the state’s resources.
Ngige noted that Soludo has “cut the coat of Anambra according to its cloth,” adding: “His re-election is a clear testimony of his good governance and prudent fiscal management of the state’s resources.”
The former governor drew parallels between Soludo’s administration and his own tenure, lauding him for avoiding unnecessary borrowing while executing major projects.
“When I was governor, I also succeeded because I avoided borrowing. I paid off debts inherited from the administration before me. Soludo has followed a similar path, while also embarking on several gargantuan projects, both completed and ongoing,” he stated.
Ngige said: “It is my prayer that Soludo continues on this right path and does not derail, like some governors who, after securing a second term, lose focus.
“History will always be the ultimate judge of a man’s leadership. If he is kind to history, history will be kind to him, just as it has been today, as the people of Anambra have re-elected him.”
