A day after he was declared Governor-elect of Anambra State, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) chieftain, Chief Willie Obiano, today thanked Anambrarians once more and assured that he and his team would live up to expectation.

Obiano spoke after being presented with the Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during a brief ceremony at the INEC Office in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

Receiving the certificate along with his pretty wife Ebele, Chief Obiano explained that he regarded the certificate as the symbolic call-to-serve.

He disclosed that after eight years of superlative performance under Governor Peter Obi, he and his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, were aware that they had come into a great heritage of excellence and would do their best to preserve it with a superior performance.

“We have evolved a comprehensive plan for the accelerated development of Anambra State in line with the highly successful model of governance that the current administration has put in place. We will ensure that there is no break in the wonderful job and policy direction that has brought so much joy to our people under Governor Obi,” the Governor-elect assured.

He further appealed to his political opponents who contested the election with him to join hands with him and build Anambra State, saying: “The days of fighting are over. Work has just started and we need everybody’s prayers, assistance and support to be able to deliver on your expectations.

“No one must be left out of our calibrated march to greatness. A state is as great as its people. With the calibre of human capital in Anambra State, we can and should reclaim our position as the light of the Nigerian nation.”

Obiano also expressed his profound gratitude to Governor Peter Obi for his unflinching support throughout the election campaign period and thanked the National Chairman of APGA, Sir Victor Umeh, for his deft handling of the entire campaign operations that eventually handed victory to the party.

He also thanked INEC for conducting the most peaceful, free and fair election in the history of the state and commended the President for providing a secure environment for the election that enabled the people to exercise their civic rights.

INEC Commissioner in charge of Anambra, Kogi and Enugu States, Dr. Lawrence Nwurukwu who handed the certificate to Chief Obiano expressed happiness with the peaceful conclusion of the electoral process that has produced the new governor-elect of Anambra State.

Dr. Nwurukwu expressed surprise at the misleading noise in the media which has created the erroneous impression of unrest in the state and commended the people of Anambra State for compucting themselves in a manner that made it possible for INEC to conduct a very peaceful, free and fair election in the state.

“The people of Anambra State have shown the rest of Nigeria how to compuct themselves during elections. Anambra has demonstrated a level of civility that other states would do well to emulate,” Dr. Nwurukwu observed.

Earlier in his remarks, the National Chairman of APGA, Sir Victor Umeh, had commended INEC for doing an excellent job with the Anambra poll. Reacting to the controversy generated by the opposition on the general outcome of the poll, he argued that in spite of the uproar it was clear to everyone that INEC scored at least 95 percent in the exercise.

Giving a breakdown of his submission, Sir Umeh said: “Let’s leave 5% as our margin of error. Anambra has 21 local government areas. At the first ballot, elections were successfully held in 20 local governments and Idemili North which required a Supplementary Election is only one local government. If you add it, you will see that Idemili North is less than 5% of the places that INEC did a good work.”

Consequently, the party chieftain commended the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for doing an excellent work, saying: “He should not be intimidated by people who lose elections. Democracy is about how the votes of the people decide who wins an election. Anybody who loses should accept the wish of the people. And that’s what has happened. Nobody should harass him. One thing Nigerians should give to Jega is his passion and sincerity of purpose to make INEC the best electoral commission in Africa. Nobody can take that away from him. With the type of planning you have done in Anambra State, I am sure, 2015, you will succeed.”

Umeh also commended INEC for creating a level playing field for all parties in the country irrespective of size, pointing out that APGA did not feel intimidated in participating in the Anambra poll even with its obvious disadvantage in terms of national spread.

•Photo shows INEC Commissioner, Dr. Lawrence Nwurukwu, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, Governor-elect, and his wife Ebele after receiving the Certificate of Return from INEC . . . today in Awka.

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