ANSWER
My assessment is that the elections were peaceful. They were successful. They were in fact conducted under harmonious atmosphere. I can tell you that there was no incidence of violence except sporadic violence in Udi and Igbo-Eze North Local Government Areas. The violence was instigated by the opposition in those Local Governments. In Udi L.G.A., the Secretariat was attacked by thugs and hoodlums led by the AD gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Emeka Eze and the APGA Gubernatorial candidate, Ugochukwu Agballa. They stormed the Secretariat and by the time it was put under control, it was too late to continue the elections that day.

In Igbo Eze North the ANPP gubernatorial candidate also stormed the Secretariat with thugs and mobile policemen. So those cases of violence were actually stimulated and instigated by the ANPP in Igbo-Eze North and in Udi L.G.A. by APGA. So I can say that in 15 out of the 17 Local Government Areas the elections were peaceful. However one must consider the human aspect of it which is to extend deep condolences to families of those who have lost their lives.

Regarding the issue of Amechi, Chief Nwobodo's ward, the Senator actually sent hoodlums to chase out INEC officials who went to perform their legitimate duties in his ward. I am sure you are aware that they sent various signals - some signals talked about boycott and in other signals candidates were active in the fields canvassing for votes. Obiechina was in Oji River, Hon. Edeoga was in Isi-Uzo, Hon. Gab. Agbo was in Enugu North. Other candidates and party officials were actively involved in the elections. And when it is very clear that the parties at no time announced boycott one can understand that only the few members who belong to that party could have participated in that election. In any case, there were some notable individuals from Jim Nwobodo's area who called actually to report what actually happened, Chief Dan Agbo called, Chief Okenwa Ani who is the PDP Deputy Chairman in the State also called to indicate that agents of Chief Jim Nwobodo were chasing away INEC officials. Reports were also lodged at INEC and I also believe that some media houses made some reports indicating that agents of the opposition prevented INEC officials from performing their legitimate duties in Chief Jim Nwobodo's area. Clearly it is important for us to note that we are ready to move on and face the next elections.

We congratulate all those who won and thank the citizens of Enugu State, for having reposed confidence in the party and its candidates and we wish to state as we have always done that our house is a large house. Our heart is a big heart. We will welcome those who are genuinely interested to come back to the fold.

ANSWER
I will like to clearly go on record. Elections in Enugu State were peaceful. They were successful. Elections did not take place in Udi. And there was also sporadic violence in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area. So there were only 2 out of the 17 Local Government Areas where elections did not take place. This is not a military dictatorship. We are not talking about Diarchy here. This is a democracy.

I am not a lawyer but I can tell you that if you have problems with the elections, you go to the Elections Tribunal. This is just the propaganda of Chief Jim Nwobodo. This has been his style. We did conventions, he called for cancellation. We did primaries, he called for cancellation. These are the reasons he will go to give his supporters to buy one more day; to buy one more week so that he can find an excuse. I can't even give him credibility. The issue of cancellation of results of elections in Enugu State does not arise. Unless you are talking of annulment. Then you are not talking about democracy. Elections have been conducted. Winners emerged. Results declared. The next stage is election petitions unless you are talking about annulment here. We are not going to run away from this country. This country belongs to all of us. If you are talking about annulment in a democracy then you should be ready to face the music.

ANSWER
We are in a democracy. The issue of cancellation like I told you does not arise. It is complete nonsense. Elections in Enugu State were free and fair. We have 17 Local Government Areas in Enugu State and 15 of them were violent-free. The other Local Governemnt Areas we had sporadic violence instigated by the opposition. If you do elections 100 times in Enugu State we will achieve the same results. Jim Nwobodo cannot win five percent of votes in this State. So let us not belabour the issue.

ANSWER
Thank you. You cannot deal with any situation in vacuum. You cannot deal with any situation in isolation. Whether you like it or not we are in an emerging democracy. An emerging democracy in the so-called Third World that has to deal with the limitations of its stage of development.

Even in America, you have problems in ascertaining the correct election results. You also have delays in announcing the outcome of elections. I believe all relevant agencies have tried. I believe INEC has done a successful job. I believe that in terms of logistics, in terms of sensitization, in terms of transportation, INEC certainly has a pass mark.

The same with the security agencis, the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Police. The Nigeria Police has shown a lot of caution. The Nigeria Police has shown a lot of restraint. The Nigeria Police has shown a lot of maturity. The same with the NGOs and other agencies which monitored the elections. I give them pass marks.

ANSWER
I believe we have to address a pertinent issue. The pertinent issue is that the so-called coalition in Enugu State on Tuesday prior to the election organized a stage-managed protest. I say stage-managed in the sense that they hired touts to carry placards. In response to that, the Resident Electoral Commissioner stated clearly that it was the same agents of the so-called Enugu State Coalition led by Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo and Hon. Fidel Ayogu, the ANPP gubernatorial candidate who came to bribe him; who came to induce him; who came to influence him to hire partisan party agents and adhoc staff. And I believe that the people mentioned have not made any legitimate comment on it. All we can do is to call on the law enforcement authorities to investigate and bring those involved to book. We have full confidence in the Resident Electoral Commissioner. We have full confidence in INEC and also the Nigeria Police and all other agencies that have participated in these elections.

ANSWER
You should ask Senator Jim Nwobodo and members of the opposition whether they still have hope of winning Enugu State because the PDP has won Enugu State already.

I can tell you clearly that PDP has won Enugu East Senatorial Elections. Ken Nnamani is the PDP Senator-elect for that district. Hon. U.S.A. Igwesi has won Nkanu East/West Federal Constituency; Hon. Gordi Agbo has won Enugu North/Enugu South Federal Constituency; Hon Gil Nnaji has won Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency; Hon. KGB Oguakwa has won Oji-River/Awgu/Aninri Federal Constituency; Hon Martin Oke has won Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-Uwani Federal Constituency; Hon. Charles Ugwu has won Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency. I am also inclined to believe that Hon. Ike Ekweremadu has won the Senate for Enugu West Senatorial Zone.

If you have difficulties in the elections you line up lawyers and go to the Elections Tribunal. That is what democracy is all about. That is what the Electoral Act says. So you should be asking Senator Chief Jim Nwobodo and his so-called Coalition - a bandit Coalition - whether they still have any hope of winning elections in Enugu State, not me.

ANSWER
I have to make it clear to everybody that as the Governor and chief security officer of Enugu State, I wear a hat. The hat is a non partisan hat - a hat that will cover all. I am not talking about winning or losing election here. I am talking about non-violence in Enugu State. I am talking about safety of the people. I am talking about safety of public property. Taking cognizance of that, the Enugu State government is going to do everything humanly possible to ensure that future elections are violent-free.

All security agencies, all parameters and logistics available would be put in place, including possible use of soldiers to make sure that elections in Enugu State are free from violence. If it means putting soldiers in the Local Government Secretariats, whatever needs to be done will be done in Enugu State to ensure violence-free elections.

PDP does not condone violence. We condemn it in its entirety. Towards the close of elections, rather than solicit for votes, we devoted time to appeal to PDP members and non-PDP members to desist from violence because this is an election that the PDP is going to win and win comfortably.

PDP is on ground in Enugu State. PDP has support of the masses in Enugu State. PDP has performed in Enugu State. Believe it or not; PDP government has performed, it has built almost 500 kilometers of asphalt roads; we have built 24 Cottage Hospitals; we have done water projects, we have built a Law School; we have done an Airforce Comprehensive Secondary School; we have done much in the area of education.

In the areas of Labour, we have the support or labour; we have absolute support of the NUT; we have support of local government employees. We have support of the women. We have support of the journalists, the Civil Servants and children and there is absolutely no reason for the PDP to resort to violence in order to win elections. We are going to win elections in Enugu State any day, any time - One thousand times we will win. We do not have any agenda for violence. That is why we are going to ensure that all Security measures are put in place to make sure that future elections in Enugu State are free from violence.

ANSWER
Dr. Okwesilieze was not shot to the best of my knowledge. Unless you will go and get a 'bullet wound' to parade before the press. But as far as I am concerned as the Governor of Enugu State and the chief security officer of the state, there is no evidence to support that Okwesilieze Nwodo was shot as a result of the activities of the elections in Enugu State. It is a democracy. That is what it is called. Government of the people. It is a mandate-driven system of government. It is not what anybody says or what Jim Nwobodo says. The people have expressed their mandate. The people acting through the legislature have put in place an Electoral Act that has enunciated clearly guidelines and laws for the election. Interestingly, Nwobodo, a current Senator of the Federal Republic, participated in making that law. If any one is aggrieved he should go to court. The issue of cancellation does not arise in Enugu State. You cannot annul elections in a democracy.

Like I told you we are not going to run away from anybody in this country. We shall all stay and face the music together. Jim Nwobodo has to find an excuse to give his supporters for losing the election. This is a person who has taken the past four years claiming that he put us there so how does he explain the fact that on Saturday we did an election and he lost virtually everything? How can he go to Abuja without people saying he ran away? He is going to pursue cancellation of election. He will do that for the next few days and come back to pick another agenda.

Let's talk about something else. I mean if you cancel election, so? We are going to win if you do it a thousand times and it is in our interest to do it in a situation that guarantees maximum security. What does Nwobodo have? What structure does he have to talk about winning an election? What is UNPP in Enugu State? Where are the Ward executives of the UNPP? Where are the members? Where are the Local Government executives? When was UNPP registered? How does a party that is two or three months old compete with an incumbent party that has been almost four years? And I believe that Jim Nwobodo has the whole concept of democracy upside down. It not a one-man gang. It is about the people. You do not perform and deliver to the people and still worry about whether you win or not.

I have always told you for the past four years that there is no opposition in Enugu State. We rather have an elitist class - an elitist class that has become left out by an accident of history; an elitist class who believe they can make and unmake, and unfortunately for them, it does not happen in a true democracy. So if you do elections one hundred times you have the same result because we are with the people. We have performed.

Jim can go to Abuja. The answer is not at Abuja. It is at Enugu. It is at the 17 Local Government Areas of the State. It is at the 262 INEC electoral wards of Enugu State. The answer with elections in Enugu State is with the people. The answer is absolutely not at Abuja. They can temporize it. But definitely they cannot decide it.