President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, for what he described as a credible poll in Anambra State on Saturday.

He urged the electoral management body to maintain the standards and further improve its performance, saying “so we can continue to strengthen and deepen our electoral system.”

The INEC, on Sunday morning, announced the incumbent Governor, Charles Soludo, as the winner of the election, after polling 422,664 votes to defet his closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress, who trailed with 99,445 votes.

Congratulating Soludo on his election victory in a statement he personally signed, Tinubu noted, “the overwhelming victory he recorded in Saturday’s poll has now made him the third governor in the state’s political history to win a second term.”

He said the victory of the opposition All Progressives Grand Alliance in the election demonstrates the vitality of “our political system and the fact that victory for any progressive and hardworking leader can hardly be encumbered or denied.”

The President thanked the new INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, and his “team for conducting what observers have described as a credible election, based on the reports I have received thus far.

“I charge the commission with maintaining the standards and further improving its performance, so we can continue to strengthen and deepen our electoral system.”

President Tinubu also congratulated the people of Anambra State, the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the peaceful and successful conduct of the governorship election.

He said Professor Soludo’s re-election is a testament to his visionary leadership and the significant progress the state has made under his guidance.

He said, “Governor Soludo, the Solution, has demonstrated that indeed knowledge is power and that academic principles can be applied in serving the people, undergirding accountability, transparency and prudent management of people and resources.

“I visited Anambra State in May this year, where I inaugurated some projects executed by the Soludo administration. I highlighted the good thinking behind the landmark projects being embarked upon by Mr Solution. That experience is indeed remarkable and will remain indelible in my mind.

“I commend Governor Soludo for bringing discipline, grace, brilliance, and a fresh perspective to governance in Anambra. Under him, Anambra is living up to its motto as the Light of the Nation.

“I urge Governor Soludo to be magnanimous in victory and to seek the cooperation of his opponents in the just-concluded elections.

“I assure Governor Soludo of my unwavering support, and I look forward to continued collaboration between Anambra and the Federal Government.” (Weekend Trust)