Updated: Let’s work together, Soludo to opponents after winning Anambra gov poll

Anambra State Governor-elect, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has extended a hand of fellowship to the other opponents who contested the election with him to join efforts with him to develop the state.

This is contained in his acceptance speech shortly after Prof. Florence Banku Obi, the chief returning officer for the Anambra 2021 Governorship Election, returned him as winner of the poll.

Soludo vowed to ”work hard everyday and never disappoint Anambra people.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission had in the early hours of Tuesday declared Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) the winner of the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.

Soludo polled a total of112,229 votes to defeat his closest rival, Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 53, 807 to emerge second.

Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate got a total of 43,285 votes to emerge the third position.

Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) came fourth with 21,261 votes. Mr Ubah also won in one local government, same as Mr Ozigbo, with Mr Soludo winning in the remaining 19 local governments.

Thanking INEC for a successful election, even though many people could not vote, he said the outcome reflects the will of Anambra people.

”There is joy in the land. Kudos to INEC,” Soludo said.

He extended a hand of fellowship to his opponents, noting that the keenly contested election is over.

”We are all winners. I extend a hand of fellowship to other candidates.

“Everybody is a winner. We are brothers, lets join hand to develop Anambra,” he said.

Soludo noted that ”in Anambra politicians fight elections keenly” but after the people have spoken and with the voice of the people being the voice of God, the contest is over.

“Now is the time to work. I need your support to succeed. Let’s work together to realise the vision of our founding fathers to make Anambra the industrial hub of West Africa.

“That is our manifest destiny. Let’s keep the spirit of Anambra alive,” he appealed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC suspended collation of results late Sunday night and declared the exercise inconclusive following non-conduct of election in Ihiala Local Government Area.

The commission, however, fixed Tuesday November 9 for supplementary election in Ihiala.

Announcing the final result, Ms Obi noted that after adding up the results collated from Ihiala, Mr Soludo continued his lead in the election.

She said that Mr Soludo won in 19 of the 21 local government areas of the state.

Ms Obi listed the areas where Mr Soludo won to include; Dunukofia, Awka South, Oyi, Anaocha, Ayamelum, Anambra East, Idemili South and Onitsha South.

She also stated that the APGA candidate also won in Njikoka, Orumba South, Onitsha North, Idemili North, Ekwusigo, Aguata, and Nnewi South, Orumba North and Ihiala Local Government Areas.

The PDP candidate won in Ogbaru with 3,445 votes, APGA scored second while APC came third in the same council.

Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) won in his home local government, Nnewi North, in spite of coming a distant fourth in the overall score card with 21,261 votes.

The returning officer, who is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, said: “Prof. Chukwuma Soludo having scored the highest number of valid votes was declared winner of the election.”

 

Ms Obi said that total number of valid votes was 241,523, while 8,108 were void.

 

The returning officer had earlier stated that Anambra with a total number of 2,466,638 registered voters only had a total of 253, 388 accredited voters for the election which began on November 6 and was extended to November 9, 2021.

 

Mr Soludo is expected to be sworn in, in March 2022, when the tenure of the outgoing governor, Willie Obiano, expires. Mr Obiano and Mr Soludo are members of the same party, APGA.