THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Wednesday issued a certificate of return to Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State who won the governorship election in the state last Saturday.
The certificate was presented to him by the INEC National Commissioner, in charge of legal services, Mrs May Agbamuche, at the Commission’s headquarters in Awka, the state capital.
Speaking at the event, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, of Anambra, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, charged the governor to be magnanimous in victory for the benefit of the state and its people.
He described the November 18th election as one in which INEC was determined more than before to conduct a free, fair and credible election and that the Commission stood tall with the way the election had gone in Anambra.
Dr Orji admitted that the election was not completely smooth because political leaders were not too careful in their utterances, which unnecessarily heated up the polity before the election proper.
We at INEC by the judgement of international communities and observers are pleased that the Anambra election is adjudged as the best election in the country, though it was not completely smooth, utterances that overheated the polity among other allegations against INEC, in one way or the other he said.
Not bordered on these, the commission focused on conducting a free, fair and credible election. We ensured that the distribution of election materials was done without any hiccup, so also voting and accreditation was done without any hitch.
We will continue to do everything possible to make INEC one of the best in the world. Political leaders must shun all election vices, they must educate their people against this, there is a pressing need for unity among political leaders and others,” the Commissioner pointed out.
The REC commended the people of Anambra State for coming out in thousands to vote for the candidate of their choice which lend credence to what INEC has stressed on people’s votes will represent the outcome of election.
Responding, Chief Willie Obiano commended INEC for conducting a largely free and fair election which he scored as high as 85 per cent in performance, across the 21 LGAs.
He, however, advised the Commission to guard jealously vital electoral materials against being tampered with.
I want to advise INEC to take seriously the security of election materials, they should be extra vigilant with the materials they will be used in the future election. We appeal to you to be alert and more determined to secure materials to avoid compromised staff to tamper with the materials, he said.
“I also want to commend other contestants who enriched the country’s democratic process, they must all come to us on how we can move forward our state. For those who are embittered, we are in no way inducing them not to chart the legal way to redress.
“We must add that while they are seeking redress in court, they can still join us on how we can give meaningful life to our people,” the governor stressed.
Obiano, who dedicated his victory to the people of Anambra State for their steadfastness and unflinching support in voting for the continuation of his government, said no democratic mandate was inferior to the other.
He noted that for democracy to be meaningful, whatever honour was given to the president must be extended to anyone that is democratically elected.
On the conduct of the troops drafted to the state, the governor thanks the security agencies, the Police, DSS, NCDSC especially the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim for their massive support in ensuring a free, fair and credible election.
Mr Obiano advised the security agencies to always sieve between genuine and wrong orders so as to know which one to carry out and one to turn down.
“I must commend the security agencies for their commitment to making the election a huge success and violence-free.
As security personnel, you constitutional role is to maintain law and order as well as protect the people of Nigerian.
It is therefore criminal of any law enforcement agent to molest, harass or intimidate innocent people let alone killing a Nigerian. You must from now on develop the attitude of resisting wrong orders, which is antithetical to what constitution permits.
Any order that is giving and which is not supported by the constitution is inimical to good governance and the rule of law.
Therefore, whatever order that violates the constitution of Nigeria is criminal, he said.
Meanwhile, the Governorship candidate of the National Unity Party (NUP), for the just-concluded Anambra Guber election, Chief Nnoli Justin Ameachi, has also congratulated Chief Willie Obiano for his victory in the governorship election.
Ameachi, in an interview with Newsmen in Awka, yesterday, also congratulated fellow contesters for a healthy and competitive encounter.
The NUP candidate urged Obiano to put the campaign rhetoric apart and extend his hand of fellowship to his opponents.
He urged the rest of Igbos political leaders to copy Anambra example and see politics as a healthy and friendly game.
Ameachi commended President Muhammadu Buhari for keeping to his word to ensure a free and fair election in Anambra and beyond.
“The fact that all the political parties and the Anambra people came out to vote is most commendable.
“The security personnel deserve congratulations for the secure atmosphere in which the election was conducted.
“INEC, so far, appeared transparent and must be given a pat on the back, he said.
Tribune Online reports that Governor Willie Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) polled 234,071 votes to defeat 36 other candidates in the election held on November 18th 2017, in the state.