By Olukayode Michael, Maiduguri
Borno State Governor-Elect, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has extended an olive branch to all opponent at the gubernatorial election, inviting them to join hands to make Borno great again.
Zulum, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was declared the winner of the governorship election by Prof. Alhassan Mohammed Gali, the returning officer, said in a statement issued immediately after he was declared victor that: “I invite all our opponents during the election to eschew bitterness so that we join hands together to continue the efforts already laid, in our collective obligations to fully restore the glory of Borno State so we regain our creed of being the Home of Peace.”
He said: “No matter our passion and commitment, Allah will at the end, decide what happens. I appeal to all of you to constantly put us in your individual and group prayers. I besiege you to pray all the time that Allah guides us to be the kind of leaders that will justify your overwhelming mandate.
“On our path, I assure you that insha’Allah, we shall not betray the covenant of trust that binds us together. Bi iznillah, we will work for Borno and as I said earlier, I invite everyone to join me in the task ahead of us.”
He praised the governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima for his trust and support, adding that: “In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful. We must begin with profound gratitude to the Almighty, the giver of power, for guiding and strengthening the course of our political struggles in the last few months. We thank Allah for the relative peace and harmony and for His protection throughout the course of this political journey. We thank Allah for crowing these efforts with victory for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Borno State under the exceptional leadership of our mentor, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima.”