BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – Following his re-election on November 18, 2017, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State on Wednesday received a Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Obiano, who was visibly elated, promised to deliver more dividends of democracy to the people and urged all to join hands with him to move the state forward.
According to Obiano, “I am happy to receive this Certificate of Return which confers on me the power to pilot the affairs of the state for the next four years.
“I wish to thank Mr President, INEC, security agencies and all those who made the election a success.
“I also wish to thank APGA as a political party for presenting me as its candidate. I shall not disappoint you; I will work harder in the second term than I am doing in the first term,” he said.
Speaking at the event, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, said the certificate symbolises the mandate Obiano received from Anambra people at the election.
He described the recent governorship poll in Anambra state as peaceful, free, fair and credible, just as he thanked the people of the state for their orderliness during the election.
In his words: “That election was a surprise to many people; some people came here to watch the state burn, to see brothers killing themselves, but we are glad that nothing like that happened.
“Certificate of Return is not a reward, it is a responsibility; how it is used determines how people will vote next time.
“We must work to increase the value of our votes by making sure we vote according to our conscience, because if we allow our votes to be bought, it becomes powerless,” the REC said.
