Ikpeazu, deputy, others receive Certificates of Return in Abia

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday issued a Certificate of Return to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and his deputy, Chief Ude Chukwu.

Ikpeazu won the governorship election for a second tenure on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking at the event, which took place at the INEC office in Umuahia, he restated his commitment to embark on programmes that would fast track infrastructure development.

He said that he would strive to improve on the administration’s performance of the five pillars in the areas of education, industrialisation, trade, commerce and agriculture.

He also promised to initiate policies and programmes that would drive the process for job creation to provide employment for the teeming unemployed youths of the state.

The governor extended the olive branch to his opponents at the poll and urged them to join hands with his administration to take Abia to a greater height.

“This is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the welfare of Abia people. I said in 2015 that this government is for the common and ordinary people,” Ikpeazu said, while rededicating himself to greater service to the state.”

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He comended INEC “for conducting in Abia one of the most transparent elections in Nigeria.”

He also lauded security agencies for their role in ensuring that Nigeria remained a united and peaceful country.

Earlier, Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, the National Commissioner of INEC, called on the elected people to consider their victory at the polls as an expression of trust from the people.

Ibeanu charged them not to betray the confidence but make the people’s welfare a top priority.

“In Nigeria, we need to develop a culture of post-election healing. Elections are necessarily divisive and even more so in our context.

“We must work together and I request you to treasure this mandate and at the end of the day you would have written your names in gold,” he said.

Also, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Joseph Iloh, appealed to the elected representatives to address the basic infrastructure needs of the people.

Iloh also commended the security agencies for providing a conducive environment for the peaceful conduct of the 2019 general elections in the state.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that certificates of return were also presented to the 24 members-elect of the state House of Assembly.