Ifeanyi Ubah concedes defeat to Soludo in Anambra State gubernatorial elections

YOUNG Progressive Party (YPP) candidate in the recent Anambra State governorship election Senator Ifeanyi Ubah has conceded defeat and congratulated the declared winner Professor Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (Apga).

On Saturday, Anambrans went to the polls to elect a new governor in what was a four horse race between Professor Soludo, Senator Ubah, Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec), declared Professor Soludu the winner of the contest after announcing results in 19 of the state's 21 local government areas.

According to Inec, Professor Soludo scored a total of 112,229 votes, with Mr Ozigbo polling 53,807 votes, Andy Uba getting 43,285 votes and Senator Ubah polling 21,261 votes. Both Senator Ubah and Mr Ozigbo won a local government area each and although a supplementary poll was being planned in the remaining two local government areas, the number of registered voters is not up to Professor Soludo's margin, so it will not affect the result.

Conceding defeat, Senator Ubah, who currently represents Anambra South Senatorial District, said he has no intention of challenging the election results in court. He said he has already phoned Professor Soludo, to congratulate him on his victory, saying he appreciated his supporters but submitted to the will of God.

Senator Ubah said: “I have just called the newly elected governor of our dear state Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo to congratulate him on his victory at the just-concluded November 6, 2021 Anambra governorship poll. To everything there is a season, so the Holy Bible says, so it is with a heart full of gratitude and submission to the will of God that I address you all today having enjoyed the unique privilege of earning your support to seek the governorship office of our dear state Anambra.

 “This is not the outcome that we wanted and worked so hard for, although some people have expressed mixed feelings and reactions about the anomalies witnessed across numerous polling units. However, the collective interest of the state must be our paramount focus, so not minding the outcome of the elections, I feel pride and gratitude for this formidable campaign that we waged irrespective of the pervasive security crisis that did not allow us to maximise our full campaign potentials in the nooks and crannies of the state.

“As a democrat and law-abiding citizen, I wholeheartedly accept outcome of the election and would like to use this medium to congratulate Prof Charles Soludo on his victory. It is imperative to state that I do not intend to challenge the electoral results as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission through any court or judicial process.”

He then urged fellow contestants to move on and thread this same path of honour. Senator Ubah advised Professor Soludo to conduct local government elections and grant them full financial autonomy so they can bring the dividends of democracy to the grassroots.