Buhari , Ohanaeze, Obi ,Uba , Ozigbo, others congratulate gov-elect, Charles Soludo

Pamela Eboh Awka and Phil Okose Oniitsha

 

 

President Muhammadu Buhari congratulates Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as he emerges winner in the gubernatorial election in Anambra State.

 

The President praises the security agencies for their determination to ensure that the election went on as smoothly as possible, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the successful conclusion of the exercise  despite the initial challenges encountered.

 

President Buhari enjoins Prof. Soludo, member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Committee, to rally other stakeholders to tackle the enormous challenges confronting the State and the Southeast in general.

 

 

The President looks forward to working with the incoming governor for the  peace, security and development of not only Anambra State, but the entire country.

 

Meanwhile, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Congratulate Anambra Gov-Elect Professor Chukwuma Soludo…hails Security Agencies for exhibiting professionalism

 

Apex-Igbo Socio Cultural Organization  Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has congratulated Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, on his well-deserved victory as the Governor -Elect of Anambra State in the November 6, 2021 Gubernatorial polls.

 

In a Statement issued on Wednesday by the National Publicity Secretary of the Organization Mr Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, commended Governor Willie Obiano and the people of the State for the smooth conduct of the elevtion.

 

According to the Statement, “a warm commendation goes to the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willy Obiano and the good people of Anambra State for the smooth conduct of the election”

 

” We are delighted that the people of Anambra State inspite of the obvious challenges have demonstrated an exceptional degree of maturity and wisdom in managing the emotions, anxieties, conflicts, trepidations and excitements that go with such a highly celebrated governorship election’

 

Ohaneze Ndigbo equally extolled the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of Army Staff and indeed all the security operatives for the efficient services they rendered for the success of the governorship election.

 

The Statement expressed special commendation to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for transparency, non-interference and upholding the will of the good people of Anambra State.

 

 

The Statement opined, “it is heart-warming that Professor Soludo has a track record of accomplishments as the former Governor and Chairman  of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and member of the British Department for International Development’s International Advisory Group”

 

It further added, “Professor Soludo is a renowned author, Consultant to the World Bank; United Nations Economic Commission for Africa; United Nations Development Programme, Nigerian Economic Advisory Committee among others.

 

Ohaneze Ndigbo noted that Professor Soludo as the Chairman Committee on Planning and Strategy of Ohanaeze, displayed robust intellectual prowess, creativity, organizational skill, prudence, vision, diligence and character comeliness.

 

The Statement reminded  Professor Soludo of the age-long strategic place of Anambra State in Igbo Land and expressed optimism  that his sterling pedigree will add extra-ordinary value to social economics of the State.

 

“While we commend all the audacious sons and daughters of Anambra State who had contested for the governorship  at various levels for their sportsmanship, we urge Professor Soludo to exhibit magnanimity and statesmanship in his public dispositions as the next governor of Anambra State.

 

Also, Former vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Peter Obi has Congratulated winner of the just concluded November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, Prof Charles Soludo.

 

In a short statement made available to journalists by his media Aide, Valentine Obienyem, Obi said, “I Congratulate Prof. Chukwuma Soludo on winning the gubernatorial election.

 

“I thank Anambrarians who braved all odds and came out to perform their civic duties. I  urge them to support the in-coming Governor through prayers and other legitimate means to see that Anambra returns to her former glory as the “Light of the Nation.”

 

He promised to continue committing the state into God’s hands for His will to be done at all times.

 

On his part, the governorship Candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Senator Ifeanyi Ubah also congratulated his All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) counterpart, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo on his victory at the poll.

 

Ubah in a press statement he signed said: “I have just called the newly elected Governor of our dear State; Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo to congratulate him on his victory at the just concluded November 6, 2021 Anambra Governorship poll.

 

“To everything there is a season, so the Holy Bible says. It is with a heart full of gratitude and submission to the will of God that I address you all today having enjoyed the unique privilege of earning your support to seek the governorship office of our dear State Anambra.

 

“The past months have been defining for us in several respects. In the build up to this election, we were bound together by the will and shared vision that now is the time for our state to chart a new course, to make life better and more meaningful for our people.

 

“We unveiled a strategic agenda for a new, better and prosperous Anambra.”

 

He said after watching the fortunes of Anambra State dwindle for years, he embarked on the journey to translate to reality, the dreams of a better future and shared prosperity for the people of Anambra State.

 

While saying that he gave his very best, for conscience and for posterity, he noted that the outcome of the election was not what he wanted and worked so hard for.

 

He added, “People have expressed mixed feelings and reactions about the anomalies witnessed across numerous polling units.

 

“However, the collective interest of the state must be our paramount focus. Not minding the outcome of the elections, I feel pride and gratitude for this formidable campaign that we waged irrespective of the pervasive security crisis that did not allow us to maximize our full campaign potentials in the nooks and crannies of the State.

 

“As a Democrat and law abiding citizen, I wholeheartedly accept outcome of the election and would like to use this medium to congratulate Prof. Charles Soludo on his victory.

 

“It is imperative to state that I do not intend to challenge the electoral results as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) through any court or judicial process. I urge my fellow contestants to toe the same line in the interest of the state.”

 

Also, the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Valentine Ozigbo has congratulated his opponent, Prof Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA for emerging the winner of the Anambra governorship election held on Saturday.

 

Ozigbo who was the first runner up in the election said his decided to go into active partisan politics two years ago was with a number of objectives, which include, using Anambra to set an example of excellence in governance,  unifying Anambra and Ala Igbo around a shared vision of greatness and inspiring more professionals to go into politics.

 

He said the attainment of the three objectives would go a long way in changing the story of black men and women in the world for the better.

 

The PDP candidate in a facebook mesage said, “Pulled by the vision of a better and brighter Anambra, we set out on the quest for governorship, resolute on taking revolutionary steps to address the decay and decline in security, infrastructure, education, healthcare, the environment, and all other social systems meant to serve the people.

 

“As laid out in our Ka Anambra Chawapu Manifesto, we planned to transform Anambra into the most competitive sub-national economy in Nigeria by opening up public, social, and commercial spaces leveraging on the strength of our youth and women. Ultimately, to make Anambra the pride of Nigeria.

 

“Given where we started and where we are today, we consider ourselves winners. Our Ka Anambra Chawapu message has permeated the consciousness of Ndi Anambra, and the nation at large. It is the strongest message that has come out of Anambra 2021, and it continues to beat in the hearts of Ndi Igbo.

 

“I have just called Professor Chukwuma Soludo and congratulated him on being declared the winner of the Anambra State governorship elections, 2021. I wished him well and prayed for his success.”

 

Ozigbo however maintained the  election was fraught with a lot of short-comings on the part of various government institutions.

 

According to him, the security agencies failed to provide a peaceful environment for campaigns to hold, adding that on election day, they were absent from many polling centres leading to elections not holding or held in situations that allowed for chaos and fraud.

 

He accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC of presenting untrained and poorly trained member of staff who could not operate the voting machines in many places.

 

He said, “They failed woefully in providing logistical support for their staff and so elections started very late in many places and did not hold in many others.

 

“The use of government funds and resources to corrupt, coerce, and intimidate voters, PDP party agents, and electoral officials was a major factor in determining the outcome of this election.

 

“All of these led to the disenfranchisement of the greater percentage of voters and staining the course of democracy. I will be dedicating time to champion the positive change we need to ensure that future elections are truly free and fair and that the will of the electorate prevails.

 

“Denominational politics was also a factor. We need to do a lot more to ensure that competence is never sacrificed on this altar, and that democracy is practiced in line with its truest tenets.

 

“In all, I am more determined to working for a better future for our children by remaining in active politics and rebuilding our party to be more united and more robust for those who come after us. Ka Anambra Chawapu.”

 

On the issue of unifying Igbo zone, Ozigbo said that every Igbo person now understands that they have a voice in him, because he will forever speak in the interest of the Igbo Nation and the rest of the marginalised and forgotten in Nigeria.

 

The PDP candidate hailed all the men and women who contested the election saying that they have all have shown a determination to see that Anambra is better, saying, “It was an honour to run this race with you.

 

“I acknowledge that we could not have done this alone. I am a child of Grace. I thank the Almighty God who chose me for this mission for His abundant mercies and love.

 

“I thank all the courageous men and women who first believed in me, many of them without knowing me well. You are the heroes of our Ka Anambra Chawapu Movement. I also thank everyone who believed, even without meeting me, who heard our message and came out in full support.

 

“I am grateful to every single person who joined our movement and contributed in one way or the other. The thousands who showed us so much love, from youths and women in the grassroot, to those in the diaspora, to the Non Indigenes, various church groups across all denominations, market women, civil servants, artisans, and many more. Thank you for your prayers, your material, financial, and intellectual contributions. May the Lord reward you abundantly.”

 

Governor Winnie Obiano has thanked the entrie people of Anambra for voting APGA in the last governorship election.

In his speech he said ‘’Umu nnem, the outcome of this gubernatorial election presents hope and a new beginning for our dear state. For the second time in the last four years, Ndi Anambra boldly chose to stand on the side of positive history. People who thought that 21/21 was a fluke have seen history repeat itself in a most memorable way. 19/21 is a massive repeat of history. The difference is just two! And so, against intimidating odds, we stood tall and reclaimed the dignity of our people. Ndi Anambra, we proved to be true sons and daughters of our fathers and mothers and lived out the full meaning of our motto: Light of the Nation!

 

 

 

Fellow citizens, this sweet victory belongs to you. It belongs to that courageous woman in Ebenebe who turned down the N5000 bribe for her vote because she knew that though money could buy her temporary relief, but Anambra would be a better place if she voted according to her conscience. It belongs to our loyal party men and women who resisted temptations of financial inducement from rival parties to fight under the banner of APGA because they knew that victory for APGA is victory for the ordinary citizens of our dear state. And finally, it belongs to Ndi Anambra at home and in the Diaspora who stood behind APGA, not because we have met all the expectations of our people but because even in the foundation my Team and I have laid so far, they see enough sunlight to believe that Anambra State is like the sun which is bound to rise, against all odds. And that is why we won this election.

 

Ndi Anambra, in pursuit of excellence, we placed merit above narrow interests. We choose a candidate whose pedigree announces itself. Prof Chukwuma Soludo has a name to protect. I have no doubt that he will not let you down. However, on a personal level, Ndi Anambra, you have made me proud. You have shown the world that when a determined people come together as one in pursuit of what is right and just, they bend the arc of justice in their favour.

 

 

 

I must quickly warn, however, that the victory we celebrate today is not a winner-takes-it-all! The motto of our great party is onye aghana nwanne ya (be your brother and sister’s keeper). So, our arms are wide open to our brothers and sisters who fought this battle on other platforms to join APGA. As for those who allowed themselves to be lured away from our great party, our arms are wide open to you too. Please come home! The wound of political battles may be costly but it heals fast. We must not allow a brief struggle for power put a permanent division between families and friends. We must come together to build a prosperous homeland for ourselves and our children.

 

Ndi Anambra, this is a day of celebration; not for long speeches. The most important speech has been made by the people at the polls. So, I must end this address, but not without thanking the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari for allowing the will of the people to prevail in this election. Indeed, I am happy to recognize and appreciate the massive efforts of the National Chairman of our party, Ozonkpu Victor Oye, the former National Chairman and distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic, Chief Sir Victor Umeh, the Director General of APGA Campaign Committee, Prof Solo Chukwulobelu and of course, the Governor-elect of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo. I also thank the leaders of the church and the traditional institution, leaders of the various market associations, farmers’ cooperatives, the town unions and our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora for playing active roles in this election. Without a doubt, you have demonstrated to the world that though we may fight with each other, the bond of brotherhood that holds us together is stronger than our disagreements!

 

 

 

My gratitude also goes to the Nigerian Police, the Army, the Navy and all the security agencies for providing a watertight security to ensure a peaceful election. I thank my beloved wife, Ebelechukwu for standing by me all through the campaign period and mobilizing umunwanyi Anambra to come out and perform their civic duty on November 6 and 9. Darling, oga adili gi mma!

 

 

However, Some Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials have allegedly been arrested following the missing of electoral result sheets meant for two wards that make up Oba community, Idemili South Local Government Area, Anambra state

 

They were reported to have been arrested at the collation center, Merchant of Light Secondary School, in the early hours of the election day, last Saturday, when the electoral materials arrived the center for distribution to the 53 electoral polling units in the Area.

 

On the process of checking the Electoral materials for distribution to the 53 polling units for the election, the Electoral Officer in charge of the two wards in Oba, reportedly discovered that the result sheets for the election were not there and immediately invited the police in Oba that came and arrested some of the INEC officials.

 

They were reportedly transferred from the Oba Police station to the State Intelligent and Investigation Bureau, SIIB, Awka, for further investigation.

 

Reacting to the development, the President General of Aboji Akanano Union, Oba, Nzeh Dozie Nweke, lamented the non conduct of election in the community.

 

“We, people of Oba were not among those that participated in the last Saturday gubernatorial election in the state. At 8am on the election day we were waiting for the Electoral materials and INEC officials till 6pm and no election was conducted.

 

“When some of us went to the collation center to know what was amiss we were told that some INEC officials were arrested over missing result sheets and that they were taken to the Oba police station.

 

I went to Oba police station and was told that some INEC officials were being detained and would be transferred to Awka because of the nature of the offense allegedly committed”

 

“We then hoped that the election would then be conducted the next day being Sunday but it was not held. and we then hoped that it would be combined with that of Ihiala local Government where the election did not take place and still we were not involved during the election that was held last Tuesday”

 

“There are two wards in Oba, ward one has 18 polling units and ward two has 35 polling units, making them 53 units. Why we are crying is for the world to know that election was not conducted in Oba.

 

We want INEC to conduct election in Oba because we are part and parcel of the state. That INEC officials were arrested over missing result sheets will not stop our voting for the candidates of our choice.

 

We call on INEC to immediately conduct election in Oba as a community with the largest number of people in Idemili South local government Area” he pleaded.

 

Confirming the arrest when contacted on phone, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Oba police station, Mr. Ferbian Ofoha, referred this paper to the state police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Tochukwu Ikenga for Details.

 

When Tochukwu was contacted he referred the reporter to the Zone 13 PPRO, Mrs Nkiru Nwudo, who said she was not aware of the arrest and pledged to get back to this reporter as at the time of filing this report.

 

 

Meanwhile, Bianca Ojukwu, widow of late Biafra leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, has commended the people of Anambra State for keeping faith with her husband’s legacy by voting  the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) during the just-concluded governorship elections.

 

She congratulated the governor-elect, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, adding that, with his victory, the people of Anambra have not allowed Ojukwu’s legacy to die.

 

Ojukwu, who had on the eve of the elections invoked the spirit of her late husband to lead APGA into the electoral battlefield, expressed satisfaction not only with the conduct of the elections but also with the fact that it was largely violence-free.

 

She thanked party supporters and well-wishers who thronged to her residence to jubilate over the news of the party’s victory at the polls.

 

In her statement after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Soludo winner Wednesday, Ojukwu said: ‘I am exceedingly grateful to the good people of Anambra State for their steadfastness and resolute commitment to the survival of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu’s legacy; for breathing back hope into a political heritage that was slowly inching towards an eclipse, and for giving us the chance to live another day. After almost 16 years of governance in the state, Ndi Anambra has given us yet another fresh mandate.

 

‘This victory presents our party with another golden opportunity to prove to the citizens of Anambra State that our party’s welfarism agenda and commitment to the grassroots remains firmly in place and that we are dedicated to correcting the misdeeds of the past as we usher in a new era of dynamism in governance.’

 

According to her, Soludo had proven by his past records that he is capable of bringing rapid development not only to Anambra but to the whole of the South East region.

 

She expressed the hope that the governor-elect would demonstrate a clear commitment towards repositioning the APGA by reviving internal democracy, equity and transparency in the workings of the party, in order to rebuild confidence and goodwill.

 

She noted that Soludo’s emergence as governor heralds a new dawn for Anambra, appealing to the APGA members who have left the party in anger to keep an open mind.

“In due course, we hope that they will return and join hands in the process of rebuilding our party”, she stated