From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
A chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ogun State, Professor David Bamgbose, has congratulated Prof Charles Soludo for his victory in the just concluded governorship election in Anambra State.
Soludo, the governorship candidate of APGA, was on Tuesday evening declared the winner after a supplementary election in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The ex-CBN Governor won in 19 LGs ahead of his closest rival, Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
But in a statement personally signed by Bamgbose, on Wednesday, he described Soludo’s victory as a well-deserved one.
He saluted the vision, dogma and resilience of Soludo which made him come out victorious in the election, congratulating the APGA family nationwide, especially the Chairman of the Board of Trust of the party, Governor Willie Obiano.
Bamgbose, who was the governorship candidate of APGA in Ogun State in 2015, urged the governor-elect to hit the ground running and build on the enviable foundation laid by the previous APGA administration in Anambra.
‘It was indeed the grace of God and the determination of the good people of Anambra State that ensured the continuation and the preservation of APGA heritage in Anambra; we should not take this for granted, we must continue to encourage the people through sterling performance and people-oriented programmes.
‘I challenge Soludo to the baton from Governor Obiano by working to build APGA to a truly national platform. This is doable, with the vision and capacity that Prof Soludo had demonstrated at the national level, he is capable of doing this, once again congratulations to all APGA family nationwide,’ the chieftain stated in the statement.
Bamgbose, however, berated the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) for allegedly trying to subvert the will of the Anambra people, by its decision to delay the result of the election and go for a supplementary election in just a local government.
He argued any attempt to subvert the people’s will, would have escalated the already tense situation in Anambra.
‘There had been clear cut desperation by the APC led federal government to capture Anambra by all means. The AIG in charge of the zone was removed less than 48 hours and replaced. Why do we have to replace AIG and the State Commissioner of Police two days to the election? What are we talking about? Governor Obiano raised the alarm that the results of 10 local governments had already been written prior to the election.
‘The people of Anambra had voted and they had spoken very clearly that their next governor must be Prof Charles Soludo of APGA. Any attempt to rewrite that would have resulted in mass resistance and escalation of violence in that state,’ the party chieftain stated.
Back home, Bamgbose called on Governor Dapo Abiodun-led government to live up to its fundamental function as government by protecting lives and properties.
‘If a government fails in the provision of security, that government has failed in all ramifications. The fundamental function of the government is the protection of lives and properties. Therefore, Ogun State government must do the right thing by ensuring the security of lives and property.’
He knocked the state-owned security outfit, Amotekun, for not doing enough, urging the outfit to emulate their Ondo State counterpart.