Now that the Anambra election has been lost and won
The November 18-governorship election conducted in Anambra State has added a feather to President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and lastly, the people of the state for conducting themselves in civilized manner during the election. The election campaigns kickstarted on positive trend with policies and were issues-based rather than personal attacks and ended fantastically with congratulatory speeches against do-or-die politics.
President Buhari opened the floor by congratulating the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate and incumbent governor, Chief Willie Obiano, immediately after emerging the winner as announced by the returning officer, and then, his All Progressives Congress, APC-candidate, Dr. Tony Nwonye followed suit. The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) flag-bearer, Mr. Oseloka Obaze, subsequently followed the footsteps of other counterparts to endorse the victory of APGA’s candidate.
The re-elected governor, Chief Obiano also dutifully contributed immensely by allowing a level playing ground with no record of bullying, molestation or harassment of opponents. Indeed, this is remarkable. Despite some political arithmetic that manifested by defection of some notable APGA chieftains to other political parties, the governor having coped with the state fairly in the concluding first tenure, remained unperturbed believing that equity would certainly come to his aid. And it did. The footnote is that the people of the state have grown beyond godfatherism to stand for visionary leadership and policydriven politics.
In the acceptance speech, Obiano showed maturity by inviting all his defeated contenders with positive ideas for teamwork in moving the state forward irrespective of party affiliations. Be it ‘easily said than done’, basically, he has extended a hand of fellowship as done in civilized societies. By the manner the election was delightfully concluded as a focused and selfless people, it will not be surprising to see the state making tremendous progress from its present position. Already, the state government has development templates in place ensuring that every nook and cranny of the state gets a quota from the state government through one project or the other.
By the renewed mandate, all the on-going projects and tasks across the state are as good as concluded and commissioned, and new ones likely kicking-off soon. It is a new dawn for Anambra State. It implies there is growth socio-politically. All the state funds that would have been earmarked for electoral disputes starting from the tribunal up to the apex court can now be used to add value to the state, above all, shutting doors against dividing concentrations of the government with aimless distractions. The landslide victory is not one that can be taken for granted. It is the verdict of the people; the high, the bourgeois and the commoners. The costly confidence the electorate reposed by their renewed mandate despite threats from the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) to boycott the election or face the music shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Splendidly, the governor is prudently in good relationship with numerous intellectuals and economists from the state, especially the former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Chukwuma Soludo among others, that’s commendable. With such a tendency, the second term, aggregately eight years in office should afford the opportunity to move the state to a higher dimension vis-à-vis infrastructural development. With the clear-cut victory, it is time to reciprocate the good gesture, reverence and confidence from the people. The contract is clearly no longer with any godfather but with the people. By the victory, the people have spoken.