The Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the just-concluded Anambra State governorship election, Jude Ezenwafor, has pledged to work alongside Governor Chukwuma Soludo to advance the development of the state.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Ezenwafor described his relationship with Soludo as longstanding and cordial.

“I can assist him. I have been assisting him before; he is my friend. I brought him to work in Anambra,” he said.

The PDP candidate revealed that he encouraged Soludo to contest the governorship while serving as Senior Special Assistant to former Governor Willie Obiano.

“He (Soludo) came, he did well, and there is no perfect person,” Ezenwafor added.

While acknowledging criticisms regarding security in the state, the PDP candidate commended Soludo and his team for being proactive.

He advised the governor to prioritise inclusivity and strengthen security operations.

“Soludo and his security team are working. We have competent security chiefs in Anambra. I will advise His Excellency, Governor Soludo: What they need is better equipment, and insecurity will end. I believe he will do more.

“I have called to congratulate him, but if he doesn’t do well, I will speak. I will advise Governor Chukwuma Soludo to run an inclusive government so that Anambra will be very safe and prosperous,” Ezenwafor said.

Addressing allegations of vote-buying during the election, Ezenwafor described the claims as exaggerated.

“That’s their opinion. I intend to challenge in court whether vote-buying is not election rigging. Almost five political parties engaged in vote-buying. If you remove the five, you will find me. I did not buy votes.

“Even my party agents were taken by the state executives to work for another party. But Anambra people have spoken; we will allow Governor Soludo to finish his four years,” he stated.

Ezenwafor also dismissed claims that he ran as a placeholder, attributing his electoral performance partly to an alleged assassination attempt.

“If you say something like that, it doesn’t matter. Nobody will throw away over ₦80 million to clinch a party ticket just to be a figurehead. Am I stupid? I had the intention to run.

“I have my Organic Millionaires Club, 100 people who promised me 10 votes each. I was already cruising at 326,000 votes, but these people messed me up. I’m not desperate or feeling bad. I thank God I’m alive. I even suspect they were the ones that shot me,” he said.

Reflecting on his efforts to revive the PDP in the state, Ezenwafor added, “The PDP was in a comatose state when I came in. I decided to run, but I was shocked when there was an attempt on my life. I was hospitalised for almost three months.”

PUNCH Online reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday officially declared Soludo the winner of the November 8 Anambra governorship election.

According to the State Returning Officer, Professor Omoregie Edoba, Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance polled 422,664 votes to defeat his closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress, who scored 99,445 votes. Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party came third with 37,753 votes, while John Nwosu of the African Democratic Congress got 8,208 votes.

Labour Party’s George Moghalu scored 10,576 votes, and Jude Ezenwafor of the PDP had 1,401 votes.

INEC stated that 598,229 voters were accredited out of 2,788,864 registered voters, with 584,054 valid votes and 11,244 rejected ballots.