The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has congratulated the winner of the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance.

Ngige, in a goodwill message by his Media Office on Wednesday, said his victory at the poll was well deserved.

The former governor of Anambra between 2003 and 2006 stated, “Ndi-Anambra have spoken with this resounding victory. Having contested in 2010 with Soludo, who was then the PDP candidate and myself in ACN; an election in which I was ‘awarded’ the second position even though I won outright and Soludo third, I knew that with his tenacity of purpose and drive, he would one day make it to the seat of the Governor of Anambra State.

“It is a case in patience and endurance, an aspiration nurtured to serve the people with all his strength, I seriously believe. Ndi-Anambra I know, will hence, entertain no excuses.

“Much has been given, hence the expectation is very high. Knowing Soludo as I do, however , I have no doubt that our people have made an excellent choice by voting him.”

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Ngige also congratulated the Independent National Electoral Commission for conducting a free, fair and credible election, even with the initial hiccups posed by the malfunctioning of the Biometric Voters’ Accreditation system in some places.

He noted, “A solid opportunity is here offered to INEC to brace up to the challenges posed by the Anambra election, which he labeled “a guinea pig election ” especially with the debut of the BVAS technology for a more credible, free and fair elections in future.

“At this auspicious juncture, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari deserves a glowing national tribute. I put on record, that Mr President had on three different occasions, assured through me, that the Anambra governorship election would be free and fair.”

Similarly, another ex-governor of the state between 2007 and 2014, Peter Obi, in a separate statement, congratulated Soludo on winning the election.

“I thank Anambrarians who braved all odds and came out to perform their civic duties. I urge them to support the in-coming Governor through prayers and other legitimate means to see that Anambra returns to her former glory as the “Light of the Nation.”

“Most importantly, I shall continue to commit the state into God’s hands for His will to be done at all times,” the terse statement read.