THE Association of Town Union Presidents General in Anambra Central Senatorial Zone has threatened to shift their support to opposition party if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alters the final list published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the postponed February elections.  

     This is against the backdrop of a recent court judgment, which invalidated the caretaker committees set up to conduct PDP primary elections in the state. Following the ruling, the primaries were nullified; raising fears of changes to the list, which had been submitted to INEC.

    The threat was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary General of ASATU, Mazi Omife I. Omife.

According to them, “We received with dismay the recent court judgment concerning Anambra State. 

    “We wish to advice the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at national level to respect the will of the people and their choice of Senator Annie Okonkwo as their senatorial candidate in the forthcoming National Assembly election, as any attempt to subvert this choice may result in mass defection of our people to another party and withdrawal of the support of town unions for the PDP.”

     The group claimed that Anambra Central Senatorial Zone is the only zone where all the town unions have declared their total and dogged support for a particular candidate in Anambra State, noting “nothing should be done by the PDP leadership to sway our allegiance, which will undoubtedly affect the party’s fortunes at all levels of election in Anambra State.”

   They said: “We affirm our unwavering support and vote of confidence on Senator Annie Okonkwo as our choice candidate for Anambra Central and no amount of court judgment can suppress the will of our people in this regard. 

    “We restate that the pact between town unions in Anambra Central Senatorial Zone and Senator Okonkwo as PDP senatorial candidate for the zone, remains sacred and irrevocable based on trust, personal integrity and verifiable antecedents of commitment to the welfare on the part of Senator Okonkwo.”

     “We urge the people of Anambra Central to be calm and law abiding, and remain resolute in their support for Senator Okonkwo, as the battle for Anambra Central Senatorial Zone is not over,” they added.