[dropcap]S[/dropcap]avouring his victory in the Anambra governorship poll conducted on Saturday, Governor Willie Obiano has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for keeping to his promise of ensuring that the election will be free and fair.

“My first and deepest gratitude goes to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari for proving to Ndi Anambra that under his watch, democracy will sink deeper roots in the Nigerian soil. Mr President promised us a free and fair election. Today, we can all see that he has kept his promise. Thank you so much Mr President!”, the Governor said in his acceptance speech on his ee-election as the Governor of Anambra State on Sunday.

See the full text of the acceptance speech below.

Being the text of the Acceptance Speech by the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Maduaburochukwu Obiano on his Re-election as the Governor of Anambra State on Sunday, November 19, 2017

Ndi b’ anyi, ekenem unu

With utmost humility, I stand before you to accept the historic mandate you have bestowed on me today!

Umu nnem, the victory we savour today belongs neither to Willie Obiano nor to our great party, APGA. No! This sweet victory belongs to Ndi Anambra! It belongs to the wheel barrow pushers and the Okada riders who have clearly seen in our recent political experience, a glimmer of light in the horizon.

It belongs to the farmers in Ayamelum, Onono, Ogbaru, Omasi, Omor and Ufuma who have now realized that Agriculture is the future of Nigeria. It belongs to the teachers and civil servants who have seen that a motivated workforce is the greatest asset of any government and have rewarded our faith in them with an overwhelming verdict at the polls.

It belongs to the illustrious sons and daughters of Anambra State who have seen the STAR of this great state rise in the Eastern Skies and have answered our call for Aku luo uno; bringing home their Naira and Dollars to put our dear state on the investment map!

This victory belongs to all of us! Umu nnem, this victory is not a winner takes it all. For in the New Anambra of my dream, everyone is a winner. Everyone!

So, I reach out a hand of brotherhood to my fellow contestants…Oseloka, Tony, Osita, Godwin and others whose names I cannot easily recall here. And I say to you;my brothers, we have all fought a good fight. But Anambra State is the WINNER! The interest of Anambra State is bigger than the private ambitions of anyone of us. Therefore, I pray you to join hands with me and build a better place for Ndi Anambra! Our beloved state needs our talent and our time. The time to build a better place is NOW!

Indeed, this victory is a referendum on the solid resolve of Ndi Anambra to rise above average in all we do. We have demonstrated that we are indeed capable of taking charge of our lives and making difficult decisions that will brighten the future of our children. I have no doubt in my mind that we shall continue to lay the building blocks for a prosperous tomorrow for all.

Ndi Anambra, this mandate is dear to my heart. I see it as a historic call to inspire my people to greatness. I see it as a call to deny myself sleep that my people might sleep better. Umu nnem, I will not give myself rest until our beloved state has fully assumed the status of the model state of Nigeria. This is my promise to you all.

Fellow compatriots, this victory did not come by chance. It is the final product of the combined efforts of brilliant men and women who sacrificed their personal comfort to ensure that Anambra’s steady march to progress is not derailed.

My first and deepest gratitude goes to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari for proving to Ndi Anambra that under his watch, democracy will sink deeper roots in the Nigerian soil. Mr President promised us a free and fair election. Today, we can all see that he has kept his promise. Thank you so much Mr President!

I must also thank the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting what has been widely adjudged a transparent election in Anambra State. With this election, INEC has shown that it has fully braced up for the 2019 elections. Thank you so much.

I will also not forget the vigilance of the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Army and other law enforcement agencies whose alertness ensured that the expressed will of the people was not thwarted. Indeed, you have done an incredible job!

To the indefatigable DG of my re-election campaign organization, Chief Victor Umeh, Ibobo Aguleri, Ohamadike! You and the entire Campaign Team have written your names in gold. My immense gratitude goes to every member of APGA, from the Ward Chairman to the members of the National Executive Council; you have made us proud! Chukwu gozie unu nine.

And to all the members of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, all the PGs and members of the various town unions across Anambra State, all the Bishops, Reverend Fathers and Pastors, the members of the organized Labour, the youths of Anambra State, the traders, the farmers, the ordinary men and women who look up to government for a better day, I assure you that my team and I shall never fail you.

Indeed, Ndi Anambra, on behalf of my capable Deputy, Dr Nkem Okeke, I thank you all for renewing this mandate and I urge you to prepare for the speedy transformation of Anambra State into a prosperous sub-national entity in the next four years.

Umu nnem, we have stepped into our finest hour. We have finally hit the proverbial bend in the river. Our journey into greatness is now assured. We are ready and willing to work with anyone who has something to share that will make Anambra State great.

We are open to new ideas, new visions of society and a New Hope!

God bless Anambra State

God bless Nigeria

Dalunu

Willie Obiano

Governor

[dropcap]Z[/dropcap]imbabwe’s embattled leader Robert Mugabe has vowed to stay in power for several weeks, despite intense pressure on him to stand down now.In a live TV address, Mr Mugabe said he would preside over the ruling party’s congress in December.The Zanu-PF earlier sacked him as party leader, and gave him less than 24 hours to resign as president or be impeached.

His grip on power has weakened since the military intervened on Wednesday, in a row over who should succeed him.BBC reports that the crisis began when the 93-year-old president sacked his deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, two weeks ago, angering army commanders who saw it as an attempt to position his wife as his successor.Earlier on Sunday, Mr Mnangagwa was named as Zanu-PF’s new leader and candidate for the 2018 general elections.

At the same party meeting, Mr Mugabe’s 52-year-old wife, Grace, was expelled from the party, alongside a number of other senior officials.But in his speech later in the day, Mr Mugabe made no direct mention of those developments.“The (ruling Zanu-PF) party congress is due in a few weeks and I will preside over its processes,” he told the nation, flanked by senior military generals at his official residence in Harare.He acknowledged criticism against him from Zanu-PF, the military and public, and stressed the need to return Zimbabwe to normalcy.

“Whatever the pros and cons of how they (the army) went about their operation, I, as commander-in-chief, do acknowledge their concerns,” he said, in reference to the army’s move last week to take over the state broadcaster.Neither did he mention any possibility of resigning. Tens of thousands had joined huge demonstrations on Saturday, with many believing he was about to step down.It is not entirely clear how Robert Mugabe can preside over Zanu-PF’s congress next month, following his dismissal as party leader.Party positions are officially decided at the congress and Emmerson Mnangagwa may officially take over leading the country then.

The head of the influential War Veterans Association, which used to back Mr Mugabe but now demands his resignation, told AFP they would call for further protests.“That speech has nothing to do with realities. We will go for impeachment and we are calling people back to the streets,” said Chris Mutsvangwa.Zanu-PF has given Mr Mugabe until midday local time (10:00 GMT) on Monday to resign or else face impeachment proceedings.

Impeaching the president would require a two-thirds majority in both houses of Zimbabwe’s parliament, which is due to resume on Tuesday.The opposition MDC-T party has tried unsuccessfully to impeach Mr Mugabe in the past, but this time the ruling party – which has an overwhelming majority in both houses – is likely to go against him.Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said he was “baffled” by the president’s address.
“He’s playing a game. He has let the whole nation down,” he told Reuters news agency.

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n the just concluded governorship election held in Anambra state which has seen the Governor of the state and candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Willie Obiano emerge the winner with a landslide victory, the candidate of the United Progressives Party, UPP, Chief Osita Chidoka has said that him and his party lost the election not because of paucity of ideas or lack of “structure” but because of superior financial firepower.

Chief Chidoka also said that the people of Anambra state traded their votes during the election because they “doubted we would truly represent their interest,” even though they aligned with their manifesto.

Chief Chidoka who said that he accepted the outcome of the election as a true democrat however maintained that he won the election at the most important place, which is in the hearts of the people who saw his sincerity.

He said he had rejected to the idea of buying votes when some voters made the bid because he came with a new approach which is void of vote trading but adorned with issue-based campaigning.

Chief Chidoka also thanked those who voted him as well as congratulates Governor Obiano on his victory at the polls. He however said he is retreating but not surrendering and would always be ready to lend a hand of direction to towards achieving a better governance for the people.

The statement reads thus:

“On September 30, 2017 we officially flagged-off our campaigns for the election. That event at Uli, the remarkable site of the historic Biafra Airport remains significant to our people in our collective search for a new beginning.

Our campaign attracted the finest and brightest of Anambra. The bold and the courageous were with us as we exerted our best in running the most robust issue-based and technology-driven campaign in the history of our dear state.

We attempted to change the course of events and chart a new beginning for our state. We believed and we dared; we engaged with all patriotic vigour as we held strongly that the long awaited time for our people to experience a new opportunity had come and we labored for it.
In all, our focus was the people; the forgotten, the poor and the disadvantaged. They were the prime impetus for our involvement. We beheld their agony and we strived to redirect and vent that energy through a genuine political process. We heard the complaints of our people and we worked to redirect them from the streets to the ballot box.

Upon that pedestal, we rejected god-fatherism and money politics. Instead, we made personal sacrifices and worked with small donations and goodwill of a few good men and women. Our campaign started and remained issues-based. We attacked no persons; we looked up in faith because we believed.

But from the ballots, we heard the voice of our people. We heard it loud and clear. On November 18 our people announced strongly their rejection of politicians. They traded their votes because they doubted we would truly represent their interest. While our message resonated with the people they doubted that the political class cared about them. They voted for the highest bidder.

When by Thursday a large percentage of our supporters insisted that they will not vote unless we paid, I insisted we will not pay for votes. The decision not to pay ended our good run. We accept the voters’ decision. We also heard our people, by their turnout and transactional approach, as they took sides with our Party’s considered view that the issue of justice, equity and fairness should be canvassed within Nigeria.

In all, we hold our heads high; high because we did not lose the poll due to paucity of ideas or lack of “structure”. We lost to superior financial firepower. As Democrats, we concede to the voters’ choices. The true hallmark of democracy is the respect for the voice of the ballot as that of the majority.

But the inner truth is that we won! We won at the most important place; in the hearts of people; our people who saw us toil and push in the arena against all odds; who saw the sincerity of our mission and gave all in support of our quest for collective good. We salute you for your support and personal sacrifices to the campaign.

We therefore make no apologies for our decision to refrain from money politics and chart a new course for a clean, knowledge-based campaign driven by patriotism. We make no apologies for our campaign philosophies and our positions on momentous issues that directly affect our people. We are proud to have spoken for them.

However, an important issue has come out of this election. This election represented a referendum on our future. No matter the number that came out to vote, they have made the choice and we do hope that the future we all envisioned for our children and us has not been mortgaged by their action.

The election, with all its evident flaws has come and gone, but now that we have engaged in the political process, we will remain engaged. We will retreat for now but we shall not surrender. We wish the Governor-elect a successful tenure, but we will still be available to point out the way and provide credible alternatives for our people.

Finally, we thank all our volunteers, party loyalists and teeming supporters from across the state; courageous men and women who labored tirelessly to give wings to our dream. I salute you all. We are not discouraged but shall continue to propagate our message of a new Anambra. We shall continue on the course for which we went into the race and we shall continue to believe and work until that new Anambra of our dream is born.

Thank you and God bless Anambra State.”

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he November 18 governorship election in Anambra was said to have ended in peace as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the incumbent governor , Mr Willie Obiano of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the winner. Thirty-six candidates contested the election.

Declaring the result in Awka on Sunday, the Returning Officer, Prof. Zana Akpagu, said Obiano polled 234, 071 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr Tony Nwoye of All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 98, 752 votes.

Prof. Zana Akpagu,the Vice Chancellor of University of Calabar, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr Oseloka Obaze, came third with 70,293 votes.

He said that the total valid votes cast at the poll was 422,314; total number of rejected votes, 26,457 while the total votes cast was 448,771 votes.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, Dr Ukwachukwu Orji, commended the people of the state for exhibiting good behaviour, saying “no bloodshed was recorded”.

“Let this election not divide the people of the state but bring you together,” he said
Orji said that Obiano would get his certificate of return from INEC on Wednesday.“We promised free, fair and credible poll and that is what we have fulfilled that,” he said.