Following his victory in the Nov. 18 governorship election in Anambra State, Gov. Willie Obiano on Wednesday received a Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), promising to work harder.
Obiano, who was visibly elated, said Anambra was bigger than any individual’s ambition, and urged all to join hands with him to move the state forward.
“I am happy to receive this Certificate of Return which confers on me the power to pilot the affairs of the state for the next four years.
“I wish to thank Mr President, INEC, security agencies and all those who made the election a success.
“I also wish to thank APGA as a political party for presenting me as its candidate. I shall not disappoint you; I will work harder in the second term than I am doing in the first term,” he said.
In his remark, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said the certificate is the symbol of the mandate Obiano received from the people at the election.
He described the Nov. 18 exercise as peaceful, free, fair and credible, while thanking the people of the state for their orderliness during the election.
“That election was a surprise to many people; some people came here to watch the state burn, to see brothers killing themselves, but we are glad that nothing like that happened.
“Certificate of Return is not a reward, it is a responsibility; how it is used determines how people will vote next time.
“We must work to increase the value of our votes by making sure we vote according to our conscience, because if we allow our votes to be bought, it becomes powerless,” the REC said.
In his reaction, Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, National Publicity Secretary of APGA, said Anambra was in for better days.
Obi-Okoye said the party had established itself for the people with the landslide victory in Anambra.
He said that the reforms of President Muhammadu Buhari in building institutions helped in making the election flawless. (NAN)
