By NewsBits
The Enugu State Governor-Elect, Dr Peter Mbah, on Thursday received his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Enugu, eight days after he was declared winner of the March 18 governorship election.
Both Mbah and his deputy, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, were presented with their certificates of return by the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States, Hon. Kenneth Nnamdi Ukeagu at a ceremony in Enugu, the state capital.
Twenty-four other house of assembly members-elect also received their own certificates of return. Dr Mbah expressed gratitude to the people of Enugu State for reposing their trust as well as confidence in him and his deputy with their mandate.
Mbah also appealed to his opponents, emphasising that handing over of the certificate of return to him should end “all atrocious politicking that characterized the campaigns and the election itself,” calling on all to move on in the interest of the state.
Mbah said: “History will never forgive us if, at a time like this, when we should be pursuing the interest and development of our dear Enugu State, we are still enmeshed in the pursuit of political gains and cleavages.
“It is why I extend my hands of fellowship to all my brothers with whom I ran the race for the hearts of the Enugu electorate. While we have different political platforms to achieving the Enugu dream, we are united by our passion for the growth of our state.
“As I said earlier, politics has ended. Ndi Enugu have shown their preference. Let us end the politics of acrimony and focus on how to move our state forward. Let us recognize that Enugu State is bigger than all of us. We thus must all work in her overall interest, which is development and growth”.
He said since his announcement as winner of the March 18 election, he had set forth at dawn with the ideas of how to weave an Enugu State that would be the joy of all spin daily in his head.
“But, I cannot do it alone. I ask all of us to come on board and let us jointly take our dear state to its desirable and enviable place in the comity of Nigerian states”, the governor-elect pleaded.
Earlier in his remarks, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States, Ukeagu, explained that the presentation of the certificate of returns to the winner was in line with Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act.
Ukeagu lauded the people of Enugu State for standing for democracy and protecting democracy, urging them to continue to nurture democracy to continue to grow. He advised the Enugu governor-elect that he and his deputy-elect not to let down the people of the state, who had elected them through the ballot box to pilot the affairs of the state.
