By Uche Mbah
Governor-elect of Anambra State, Professor Charles Soludo, has described his victory at the polls as a sacred mandate of the people.
He was reacting to his victory as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in the early hours of Wednesday, November 10, 2021. Soludo was the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
It was a battle he clearly coasted to victory after the supplementary election held Tuesday, October 9, at Ihiala Local Government Area.
Professor Florence Obi, Vice Chancellor, University of Calabar, who was the Returning Officer for the State, had announced Soludo as winner of the election.
Soludo polled 112,229 votes to defeat his two major rivals, Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 53,807 votes, and Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who got 43,285 votes.
In his acceptance speech shortly after the result was announced, the former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, thanked his family, leaders and members of APGA and Anambra indigenes for their support. He thanked, profusely, the outgoing Governor Willy Obiano, for leading him to victory, as well as President Muhammadu Buhari.
Soludo, who survived an assassination attempt, prayed for the souls of the three policemen who lost their lives during the attempt on his in his community during the campaigns.
“With utmost humility and gratitude to God, I accept the result of the Anambra Governorship election. This reflects the supreme will of the Almighty God and an overwhelming sacred mandate of the people,” he said.
“For 12 years since the massive clamour by the people of Anambra for us to serve them, we persevered till this divine moment. This is a divine journey whose time has come. To God be all the glory and adoration.
“The run-up to this election and the election itself tested the resilience and the integrity of our federal institutions. Many times, there were tensions, especially as one party boasted that it must ‘take or conquer Anambra by all means’. Our institutions proved again and again that this country can achieve eminent greatness when our institutions rise to the occasion.
“Aside from the initial hitches from the operations of the BVAS machines in some places, including at my polling unit, the election has been adjudged as the most peaceful, free, fair and credible. There is joy in the land. Kudos to INEC.
“To my fellow candidates in the election, I wish to congratulate you for the gallant contest. Our people have spoken overwhelmingly and surely, that voice is the voice of God. The ultimate winner is the Anambra people. We are all winners.
“I hereby extend my hand of fellowship to all of you; I need all of you to succeed. Politics aside, we are all brothers. Let’s come together for the project, Anambra. There is enough room for everyone to contribute in the service of our homeland.”
He commended INEC and thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the success of the election, stating that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is a “massive improvement” on the old card readers, but cautioned the electoral umpire to do more towards the improvement of quality of elections.
Soludo is the second CBN Governor to become the governor of a State. The first was late Dr Clement Isong, who became governor of Cross River State.
