BY JENNIFER JOHN / OWERRI
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Re-elected Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma has accepted the mandate given to him by the people of the State to serve for second term.
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Uzodinma while speaking to Imolites at the Government House, Owerri, yesterday, dedicated the victory to God and good people of Imo State who he appreciated for their kind gesture towards him, promising not to take their trust for granted.
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“It is with great honour and privilege that I accept the mandate you have given to me, to serve you for a second term of another four years. I am deeply humbled and appreciative of every single vote from the 27 Local Government Areas of the state which gave me an unprecedented victory of winning in the entire 27 LGAs of the state.
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“God has shown that he was the one who did it four years ago and has done it again”.
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Uzodimma described the action as an emphatic vote of confidence for his performance in the last four years, a clear confirmation that all stakeholders; Bodies, groups, organizations associations, who endorsed and adopted him as their sole candidate worked their talk.
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The governor specially expressed gratitude tocAgents of the party at different levels during the election, political appointees, religious leaders for their prayers which brought about the peace enjoyed during the election, members of the Imo State traditional institution and the Elders Council, for adopting and projecting the Imo charter of equity.
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“Now it is my turn to keep to my own side of the bargain. The implication is that I am expected to do more and better than I did in the first tenure, and that will I do. I will continue to provide quality, transparent and accountable leadership for Imo people”, he said.
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The governor used the opportunity to congratulate and felicitate with his co-contestants for the same position, which he noted that in any contest of that nature, one person will emerge victorious, calling on them to come and join hand with him to deliver quality services to Imo people.
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He posited that they did not loose the election rather Imo State won
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Meanwhile, some of the contestants who flied the flags of some opposition political parties during the election have accepted the olive branch extended to them, by the governor, to join hands with him to serve Imo people better.
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Some of them were on ground to make their declaration public, while calling on others who have not towed the same line to do so, in the interest of Imo State and its citizens, even as they promised to reach out to other contestants, towards persuading them to drop any plan of challenging the governor’s victory in court.
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According to the spokesman of the group, “millions and billions which will be spent in pursuing the cases in court could be useful in providing job for teeming unemployed youths in the state.”
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The candidates included those of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), that of PRP, among others.
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Other groups who singled out for appreciation by the governor included Royal fathers, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, for their deployment and concerted effort which made it possible for the Imo election to be adjudged the most peaceful among the three off circle elections held on the same day across three states of the country.
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