Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has declared his victory in Saturday’s governorship election as a triumph for democracy, extending an olive branch to his opponents and commending President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his “democratic disposition” in allowing a free and credible poll.
Speaking at the Government House in Awka on Sunday, Soludo described the election as “Nigeria’s gold standard,” praising the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting what he said was the most transparent exercise in the state’s history.
“I wish to commend INEC for an exceptionally well-organised election. By midnight, 99 per cent of the results had already been uploaded on the IReV portal. This is how elections should be conducted in Nigeria,” Soludo said.
The governor, who won in all 21 local government areas of Anambra State and secured about 73 per cent of the total votes cast, dedicated his victory to the people.
He also commiserated with the family of a councillor from Owerre Ezukala who was shot dead after voting, describing the incident as “a sad blemish on an otherwise peaceful process.”
Soludo called on his fellow candidates to join hands with him to build a better Anambra, noting that politics should not be a battle of enemies but “a contest of ideas.”
“The election is over. I extend my hand of leadership and fellowship to my brothers and sisters who contested against me. Together, we must keep Anambra moving forward,” he said.
He also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu, whom he described as “a good democrat,” for ensuring that the will of the people prevailed.
The governor promised to accelerate development projects across the state, vowing to “move into gear four” in the execution of his administration’s agenda in his second term.
