By Favour Goodness
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the just concluded Anambra state guber election, Mr Val Ozigbo has congratulated the governor-elect, Prof. Chukwuma Sọludo of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Ozigbo, who came second with 53, 807 votes behind Sọludo in a statement on Wednesday said, he has just called the winner, wished well and prayed for his success.
“I have just called Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and congratulated him on being declared the winner of the Anambra state governorship elections, 2021. I wished him well and prayed for his success.
“Let me also use this opportunity to congratulate all the men and women who contested our dear state’s governorship this year. You all have shown a determination to see that Anambra is better. It was an honour to run this race with you,” he said.
Ozigbo also thanked the leaders and pillars of PDP, at the national (especially the PDP governors), state and ward levels who stood by him and worked tirelessly to win the mandate of Anambra electorate.
“I appreciate your amazing support and friendship.
“I thank all the courageous men and women who first believed in me, many of them without knowing me well. You are the heroes of our Ka Anambra Chawapu Movement. I also thank everyone who believed, even without meeting me, who heard our message and came out in full support.
“I am grateful to every single person who joined our movement and contributed in one way or the other. The thousands who showed us so much love, from youths and women in the grassroot, to those in the diaspora, to the Non Indigenes, various church groups across all denominations, market women, civil servants, artisans, and many more.
“Thank you for your prayers, your material, financial, and intellectual contributions. May the Lord reward you abundantly,” he said.
“Most importantly, I thank the entire Ndi Anambra – home and abroad. The openness, love, and enthusiasm with which you received us, especially as we campaigned across the state, is one that my wife, my running mate and I will cherish forever.
According to him, the election was fraught with a lot of short-comings on the part of various government institutions.
“The security agencies failed to provide a peaceful environment for campaigns to hold. On election day, they were absent from many polling centres leading to elections not holding or held in situations that allowed for chaos and fraud,” he said.
He added that the national electoral commission presented untrained and poorly trained staff who could not operate the voting machines in many places.
“They failed woefully in providing logistical support for their staff and so elections started very late in many places and did not hold in many others.
“The use of government funds and resources to corrupt, coerce, and intimidate voters, PDP party agents, and electoral officials was a major factor in determining the outcome of this election.
“All of these led to the disenfranchisement of the greater percentage of voters and staining the course of democracy.
“I will be dedicating time to champion the positive change we need to ensure that future elections are truly free and fair and that the will of the electorate prevails,” he affirmed.
He noted that denominational politics was also a factor, while calling for the need to do a lot more to ensure that competence is never sacrificed on this altar, and that democracy is practiced in line with its truest tenets.
“In all, I am more determined to working for a better future for our children by remaining in active politics and rebuilding our party to be more united and more robust for those who come after us,” he said.
