Ugwuanyi thanks residents as his opponents congratulate him

By Moses Oyediran, Enugu

Following his landslide victory at the March 9 governorship election, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state has expressed gratitude to God and thanked the people of the state for their overwhelming support in renewing his mandate.

This came as a coalition of governorship candidates in the state led by Gerald Abonyi of the Labour Party (LP) paid him a congratulatory visit at the Government House, Enugu and declared that they were satisfied with the outcome of the election.

In his acceptance speech, Gov. Ugwuanyi told the people of the state that he was humbled that the people once again, invested their trust and faith in his administration, adding that it is now for him and his deputy, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo to continue work for the good of the citizens.

Accepting the mandate, the governor pledged that his administration will devote energy and time to work harder for the wellbeing and prosperity of the people, stressing that “we are open to new ideas and new visions, as we continue to lay the solid foundation for a more prosperous Enugu state.

“I hereby reaffirm that we will continue to serve you with the fear of God, with humility and an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of our people and lifting the state to unprecedented heights of development and progress.”

Gov. Ugwuanyi also expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for his exemplary leadership and for providing the enabling environment that ensured the peaceful conduct of elections in the state.

He equally saluted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a job well done and for keeping alive the dream of a brighter democracy, stating that “we are equally grateful to the Nigerian security agencies and the independent observers who ensured that we had peaceful processes at the polls.

“This victory does not belong to me alone. It belongs to Ndi Enugu – our political leaders and other stakeholders, irrespective of party affiliations. In truth, the victory is not a winner-takes-all. In our spirit of brotherhood, everyone is a winner.

“Therefore, I reach out my hand of friendship and partnership to my fellow contestants. I invite all of you to join hands with me so that together, we shall build a better Enugu state, to the glory of God.”