THE bitterly contested governorship election in Delta State has been won and lost; but going by the utterances of the winner, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the long drawn campaign, first in the governorship re-run of last January 6, and his second victory in last weeks election, there is no doubt that consolidating on his administrations three points agenda of peace and security; infrastructural development; and human capital development will be uppermost on his mind when he mounts the podium to be sworn in for a second term next May 29.At the January 10, inauguration following his victory in the re-run election, Uduaghan had pledged that it would no longer be business as usual just as he admitted that the voting pattern that brought him back to office was a wakeup call to deliver the elusive dividends of democracy to voters who had been neglected for years.He said: During the campaign to rural communities, riverine areas, we hear the needs of the people, now we shall embark on fence mending mission to stop the rancor and any disunity among the people. This is the time for action and we are going to do things differently to achieve our vision. This is time for action to do more, work more to make Delta get to its Promised Land. My needs are very simple, l have no desperation for material, l have no need to be corrupt and l have no house in Abuja.There is no gainsaying the fact that even with the pockets of militancy in Gbamaratu and elsewhere in the creeks, an atmosphere of relative peace and security has prevailed in the last four years.As a testimony to the success of the three cardinal agenda of the government which are interwoven, it is apparent that incidence of hostage takings, pipeline vandalization and other vices associated which were rife in oil producing communities in the state have reduced considerably. Law and order has been restored in the creeks, infrastructure and human capital development has also improved.The government must now work extra hard to complete projects such as, the Warri Industrial Park, which is being built in partnership with ARCO Petrochemical, while the Asaba IT Park is nearing completion.The ongoing work on the dualization of the Asaba- Ughelli road needs to be intensified, with a view to completing the remaining portion.Amid allegations of electoral fraud by the candidate of the DPP, Great Ogboru, the Udughan government, now and in the next dispensation must work hard to heal the anger generated by the elections. The administration deserves a peaceful working environment for it to deliver dividends of democracy to Deltans.With the successful conclusion of the governorship election, the time now is for action and not rhetoric. Promises made in the heat of campaigns must be fulfilled, notwithstanding possible distraction from tribunals.
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