Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, his Bayelsa State counterpart, Douye Diri, and Kogi State Governor-elect Usman Ododo yesterday unfolded their plans for their respective states, following their victories at the weekend polls.
An elated Diri, who spoke in Yenagoa, promised to foster inclusion and cohesion, assuring that he will be governor of all.
He said the victory would not have been possible without the grace of the Almighty God and the support of Bayelsans.
Diri said he was deeply humbled by the people’s confidence in his ability and their mandate to serve for another four years.
He said: “I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to everyone that cast your vote in my favour and entrusted me with the responsibility of leading our beloved state.
“I am also immensely grateful to the leadership of our great party (PDP) at all levels and our dedicated campaign team and supporters, who worked tirelessly to spread our message of progress and unity throughout Bayelsa State.
“Your unwavering belief in our vision for prosperity and your relentless efforts have brought us this sweet victory.
“However, I urge you all to celebrate with temperance, as this victory is not the exclusive preserve of any one political party.
“Rather, it is the collective will of a people united towards progress and a better future. Even those who cast their votes differently enriched our democratic practice by their participation and dissent. I reaffirm that I will continue to be the governor of all in Bayelsa State.
“I want to place on record our gratitude to the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu for allowing the conducive environment for what has been a free, fair and credible election.
“In the same vein, we appreciate the role of most of the security agencies for their professionalism and hard work in providing security for the exercise. We equally commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for discharging their responsibility largely creditably.
“I want to specifically acknowledge and appreciate our leader, former President Goodluck Jonathan, for his unqualified support just as thank my immediate predecessor in office, H.E Sen. Henry Dickson, for his unwavering and abiding support.
“Our special appreciation also goes to our party leaders and my brother governors for their physical presence and invaluable moral support during this process.
“As I stated in my inauguration speech, where there is darkness, let us bring light. Where there is hatred, let us bring love. We are too few a people to be polarized and fractionalized along political, clan or other primordial ranks.”
Diri said unity and inclusivity will lead to the achievement of shared goals and aspirations of the people.
He said he looked forward to collaborating with the people in his bid to create a brighter future for Bayelsa.
Diri said: “I equally sincerely thank all those who exercised their democratic right to vote. Your participation in this election has reaffirmed the strength of our democracy and the power that lies within the hands of the people.
“However, it is important to acknowledge that this electoral process has not been without its challenges. Regrettably, attempts by some political actors to hijack the process and undermine the will of the people resulted in the utterly unacceptable infiltration of violence, thuggery and intimidation into our electoral process.
“Lives of innocent individuals have been lost, an outcome that should not have occurred. Let me be clear: such actions are utterly unacceptable.”
Diri lamented the loss of lives during the exercise, attributing the tragedy to the antics of greedy peoole.
He said: “In this moment, I offer my deepest condolences to the individuals and families that have suffered from brutal attacks, loss of life, injuries, and harassment during this off-cycle election.
“Innocent lives have needlessly been sacrificed on the altar of greed, and this tragedy must not be overlooked. I assure you that there will be consequences for these actions.
“In particular, the news of the murder of a young man, Berepelenyo George Sibo, in Twon-Brass, in the aftermath of this election, is deeply troubling. It serves as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and respect for human life during and after an election.
“Every loss of life is a tragedy, especially when it occurs in the context of exercising democratic rights.
“We must collectively condemn any acts of violence and work towards creating a society where every individual can freely and safely participate in the democratic process.”
“Once again, I extend my deepest gratitude to the people of Bayelsa State for your overwhelming support and trust. I accept your mandate to serve you again as Governor with utmost humility. Rest assured, I will continue to serve with integrity, dedication, and transparency. Let us embark on this next phase of our Prosperity journey together, knowing that the future of Bayelsa State rests in our hands, under God.”
Uzodimma waves olive branch
Uzodimma urged his opponents to join him in serving the people.
He noted that in a democratic contest only one person would emerge victorious.
In his acceptance speech at the Government House, Owerri, the state capital, the governor emphasised the importance of unity and team spirit.
He said: “In a democratic contest such as the one that held yesterday (Saturday), only one person will emerge victorious. Since it has pleased God and Imo people to confer that honour and privilege on me, I congratulate and commiserate with my brothers who contested the election with me.
“They did not lose, but Imo people won. This collective victory is for the good of the people and the progress of our state. I, therefore, call on all of them to join hands with me to continue to build the Imo of our collective dreams.”
Thanking God for the historic and unprecedented victory, the governor said:”Because I acknowledge God in everything I do and because I know that power comes from God, the first thing I did upon receiving the news of my victory yesterday was to proceed to the church to thank God for his goodness to me and Imo people.”
He added: “Of course, I can never thank God enough for doing it again for me. He has shown that He did it four years ago and has done it again, to His honour and glory. So, I dedicate this victory to God and the good people of Imo State.
“I must confess that I am truly humbled and deeply appreciative of every single vote I received across the 27 local government areas in the state. They all contributed to giving me a clear, historic and unprecedented victory over my opponents.
“Ndi Imo umunnem, you spoke volumes through your massive votes. It is an emphatic vote of confidence in our performance in office in the last four years. You did not prevericate in making that statement. You came out boldly and joyously to give me your votes. Thank you very much indeed.
“This historic statement is a clear confirmation that all the different stakeholders who had earlier endorsed me for the governorship election because of our superlative performance in office have walked their talk.”
The governor thanked the Labour unions, workers, traders and other stakeholders for their contributions for his victory.
He said:”To all of you, including, but not limited to the youths, the women, traders, road transport workers, all other stakeholders, particularly Imo workers through their different unions such as the Nigerian Labour Congress(NLC), the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), and the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULEGE), I say thank you very much indeed.
“I sincerely appreciate all of you. You have made me proud indeed. It is now my turn to keep my own side of the bargain. On that note, I wish to repeat my earlier covenant with God and Imo people: “I will not let Imo people down and I will serve with utmost honesty and the fear of God.”
Uzodimma promised not to disappoint the people, saying that the dividends of democracy will continue to flow.
He said: “Let me be clear. Your message to me through your overwhelming endorsement is that you appreciate what I have done in office so far, and you want me to do even more. I heard you loud and clear. It is an invitation to do more and do better, and that is exactly what I will do.
“I do not take this victory lightly. I am aware of your desires and expectations. In this regard, let me reassure you that I will continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to Imo people under our 3R mantra of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Recovery.
“I will continue to provide a transparent, accountable, and transformative leadership to Imo people. I will continue to provide an inclusive platform for all Imo people to have a say on how they are governed. These are my promises, and I believe this was why you voted for me. And I will keep them.”
He expressed profound gratitude to Ndimo, who voted for him.
Uzodimma said:”I am immensely grateful to the agents of my party, APC, across the 305 wards in the state who stood firm in the defence of our votes. You have made me proud also. I also acknowledge my indebtedness to all the political appointees who campaigned for me and our party and who also mobilized voters and protected their votes on the day of the election.
“I want to extend my profound gratitude to the religious leaders in the state for their relentless and fervent prayers for peace in the state and particularly for peaceful elections.
“It is also to your credit that you initiatiated the charter of equity, which was designed to reduce tension and acrimony in governorship elections in the state. In the same vein, I thank the Elders Council for adopting the charter of equity document wholeheartedly and for tirelessly marketing it to our people in the 27 local government areas.”
He also thanked traditional rulers, INEC and security agencies for their contributions to the “peaceful, free, and fair” election.
In Imo, candidates of five political parties have congratulated the governor.
They are Dr. Iwueye Issac of Booth Party, Edoziem Clinton Chibuike of Allied Peoples Party, Isiodu Uchechukwu of Peoples Redemption Party, Prince Andy Anyabuike Zenith Labour Party and Dr. Lawrence Cole Okwara of NRM.
They pledged to work with the governor and urged other candidates to sheath their swords and join him to move the state forward.
Ododo:
Ododo thanked Kogites, saying that their trust was the compass guiding in the collective commitment to enthroning a transparent, accountable and inclusive governance.
He said the dedication of the stakeholders underscored the collaborative spirit that defined the vision for Kogi State.
Ododo expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for creating an atmosphere of peace and a level playing ground for the contestants.
He said: “From the moment you (president) handed me the flag, I knew I would be successful. You remain a platform of success for millions around our nation and our administration will work closely with the Federal Government under your leadership just like our leader, His Excellency Alh Yahaya Bello is currently doing to bring development to our dear state.”
The governor-elect also applauded the contributions of Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and Governor Yahaya Bello, who he described as “my mentor, leader, benefactor and leadership coach.”
Ododo noted that Bello “led the campaigns from the front and his numerous achievements convinced the electorate that our team will not derail from the Agenda to make Kogi State the best in Nigeria.”
Hailing the governor, “We assure you that we will not disappoint you. As the architect of modern Kogi State, we will continue to tap from your wealth of experience and passion to serve the great people of our state.”
Thanking the peoole of the state, Ododo said:”Let us continue working hand in hand to achieve the shared aspirations we hold for our beloved state.
“Thank you for your trust, your commitment, and your belief in the possibilities that lie ahead. Together, we will make Kogi State a model of progress and unity.”
