Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, yesterday vowed to discharge his mandate as the Chief Servant of the state in a manner that would make Abians, particularly those who supported him, proud.

In his first state-wide broadcast after the Supreme Court had last Wednesday affirmed his victory as the duly elected governor of Abia State, Ikpeazu warned both his supporters and members of the opposition against acts that would undermine the peace of the state, stressing that this was the time to work for development of Abia.

He said his administration would welcome constructive criticisms and corrective opposition and urged the opposition not to engage destructive opposition politics for the good of the state.

While thanking Abians for the confidence they have reposed in him by choosing him as their governor, Ikpeazu promised to carry everybody along and warned his supporters against victimising members of the opposition in his name.

He assured that he was governor of all Abians and does not begrudge members of the opposition for their right of choice, instead he invited them to joins hands with his administration to turn Abia around for good.

According to the governor, he never doubted the mandate freely given him by Abians, explaining that this informed the zeal and commitment he has shown in running the state since he assumed office, even while the legal challenge to his electoral victory lasted and described his Supreme Court victory as victory for justice, equity and unity.

Below is the text of the five-minute broadcast on radio and television yesterday evening titled, “We Never Doubted Our Mandate. To God Be The Glory”:

“It is with great joy that I address you on this beautiful day that the Lord has made. On Wednesday, the 3rd day of February 2016, an erudite Panel of Supreme Court Justices led by no less a personality than the Chief Justice of Nigeria, affirmed our mandate to serve you as Governor of Abia State.

“This was the same mandate that you freely gave to us when you trooped out en-masse to cast your votes for me in the Governorship elections of April 11, 2015 and the supplementary elections of April 25, 2015 in Abia State.

“In the aftermath of our declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the lawful winners of that election, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance challenged our victory at the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia. The Tribunal was unequivocal in affirming our victory and dismissing his petition.

“Not satisfied, he went to the Court of Appeal in Owerri and obtained a strange judgment which declared him the winner of that election. Knowing that the judgment would not stand close scrutiny and confident that it was I, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, and not any other person that you elected to serve you as your Governor, I challenged the judgment of the Court of Appeal at the Supreme Court.

“To the glory of God, yesterday, the seven Justices of the Apex court unanimously upheld our victory at the polls and affirmed my mandate as the duly and rightfully elected Governor of Abia State. This is victory for justice based on equity and unity.

“My dear brothers and sisters, I was never in doubt as to my mandate to serve you. This certainty is what informed the zeal and passion with which I have approached governance since I was sworn-in as Governor. The many projects we have been able to execute within the short period we have been in office bear testimony to our burning desire to uplift the living standards of Ndi Abia.

“Let me use this opportunity to once again express my heartfelt gratitude to you all good people of Abia State for the enormous confidence you reposed in me by electing me to be your Governor.

“As I have always promised and as I have no doubt shown since I assumed office, more than ever before and with renewed vigour, I will make all of you proud to have voted me as your Governor.

“To all those who supported my opponents, I will not begrudge you your right of choice. If your desire was to see a better Abia, then I invite you to extend that same support to me and together, we will bequeath to generations unborn an Abia State that they will be proud to call home.

“That being said, Wednesday’s judgment marked the end of all electoral and legal disputes relating to my mandate as the Governor of Abia State. While we will welcome constructive criticisms and corrective opposition, we urge all not to engage in any act that will jeorpadise the peace and tranquility of the state in the name of opposition politics.

“Let me use this opportunity to express my deepest appreciation to all those who stood resolutely by us throughout this process from all strata of society. True brotherhood and friendship is confirmed in the face of adversity. You have proven to be reliable allies. I say a big thank you. The real work begins now. There is a lot to be done and together, we will attain our God-given potentials.

May I also call on all our supporters to be magnanimous in victory. I urge you all not to engage in any acts that will victimise our political opponents for the choices that they made. I am Governor of all Abia State and I wholeheartedly embrace everyone irrespective of the candidate that they supported. If you truly support me, then you will not victimize anyone in my name.

“After all said and done, all we have to say is: To God alone be all the Glory.

Ndi Abia, Ndi Nwem, Ekelelam unu. Oga adiri unu na mma na aha Jesus.

Thank you very much and may God bless you all.”

•Photo shows Governor Ikpeazu.

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