By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki.
Ebonyi State Governor-elect, Rt Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has called on his opponents in the just concluded governorship election to eschew their respective differences by working together with him to move the State forward.
Nwifuru, the two-term serving Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly also called for the stakeholders' collaboration to ensure the smooth running of the incoming government to boost development of the State.
The Ebonyi State Governor-elect under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) made the appeal on Wednesday after receiving his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abakaliki, the State Capital.
Hear him: "I thank all my fellow candidates, who went on this great journey with me – Dr Chukwuma Ifeanyi Odii of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof. Benard Ifeanyichukwu Odoh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Sunday Opoke of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Prophet Chris Adol Awam of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
"I call on them to embrace this Divine mandate and eschew all differences so that we can work together for the peace and development of Ndi Ebonyi, as I strongly believe that the campaign was a race to serve our people. Therefore, I invite all of them, to join me in building a State that we all will be proud of, as my administration will run an all-inclusive Government.
"I also thank the great leaders of our dear State. I defer to you, the founding fathers of Ebonyi State, led by His Excellency, Chief Francis Orji and other great stakeholders of our State. As well, I thank the Elders Council of our State, led by High Chief Engr. Ben Okah.
"Specifically, let me humbly appreciate the doggedness of our dear indefatigable leader, the founder of Divine Mandate Campaign Organization and the father of modern Ebonyi State – His Excellency, Engr. Chief David Nweze Umahi (FNSE, FNATE, CON, GGCEHF) – Governor of Ebonyi State, for his forthrightness and thoughtfulness in ensuring that he leaves legacies that will be engraved in the sands of time.
"May I equally appreciate their Excellencies, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, Distinguished Sen. Joseph Obinna Ogba, Chief Lawrence Nwuruku, Sen. Sylvanus Ngiji Ngele, R?. Hon. Sylvester Ogbaga, Rt. Hon. Anayo Edwin Nwo̱u, Rt. Hon. Odefa Obasi Odefa Рwho are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but stood for us out of conviction and their sincere belief, that competency, credibility and sincerity of purpose Рthat is, equity, justice and fairness should be maintained in the polity of our State."
"Distinguished Ebonyians, the journey to this level was tough, but God Almighty sanctioned the mandate He has given to us for Continuity and Consolidation. The fact that this lofty height was very terrifying and educative, we anchor our hope on this great mandate given to us by God Almighty alone.
"I themed my Manifesto, ‘The Peoples Charter of Needs’ and we have said in many fora that this Charter will be based on open Governance and performance management, to make decisions through citizen input while focusing on outputs. And I sincerely believe that our credibility and the task ahead of us will avail us of more positive ideas that will propagate the development of our dear State, Ebonyi.
"I want to assure you, Ndi Ebonyi nwemunu, that as your Governor, I will maintain checks and balances in Government – that means that the Principle of Separation of Power will be given priority. The Rule of Law will be given space to thrive and the security of lives and property will take centre stage. Ebonyi will be a point of reference in Education and the destination for quality Health Delivery Services. We will maintain existing infrastructures cost-effectively and extend the same to our rural communities. There will be respect for our traditional institutions. Our administration shall ensure obedience to the course of development and implementation of Government policies and programs.
"Distinguished elders, our dear visitors, in our tenure as Governor, Ndi Ebonyi, practical farming will be given ultimate interest for us to achieve the value chain needed in our society today. Human capital development as it stands today has a ministry of its own and a lot had been done. We are going to complement that effort by changing the coast movement and introducing vocational training in all spheres of life as this will bring innovations and skills into the system.
"We will continue to search and admit more business moguls of repute to invest in our commercial facilities. We shall partner with business people to establish their subsidiaries in Ebonyi State. We will empower Ebonyi people with business talents and ideas within and across the nation to develop themselves and boost our economy. Our Government shall ensure that Ebonyi people who are into importation shall use the State as their point of distribution of their goods. We will commit to the actualization of industrialization and the upsurge of companies in the State through public-private partnerships. We will promote the manufacture of basic consumables for the people in the State with the realities of demand. Our administration shall promote the purchase, usage and export of our local content and reactivate Ebonyi State Pipe Production Company.
"To our dear brothers, sisters, and sensible partners of every Government – the Civil Servants, as many of you have read in my manifesto, there will be the regular promotion of workers and payment of salaries, pensions, and gratuities. Training and retraining of workers will form part of the policies of our Government as that will improve service delivery.
"I want to assure our religious leaders that they remain the foundation of the success of our dear State, Ebonyi. As a product of Divine Mandate, our vision, mission and actions will be anchored on the precepts of God to serve the people, through sustaining the relationship between the Ebonyi State Government and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), as well as our hardworking Divine Mandate Pastors led by our dear sister, the senior pastor of Christ Embassy – Pastor Eunice Oyeyemi, ensuring adequate welfare for our real men of God.
"On this note, distinguished ladies, and gentlemen, I humbly end this unique remark by pleading with every leader of our dear State to toe the part of peace, love and charity to one another. I implore the mercies of God Almighty to give us only those things that can promote the unity and prosperity of Ndi Ebonyi.
"I, therefore, accept this mandate given to me by God through you in the name of the Father, Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
"Thank you very much for listening. To God be the Glory."
