‘Anambra PDP Will Elect a Party Man’

By Jude Atupulazi

Ahead of the governorship election in Anambra State, the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, says the party will produce only a candidate that has been part and parcel of the party, rather than a defector.

Addressing party faithful at Oma Event Centre, Awka, during a worship conference organized by High Chief Obiora Okonkwo, a guber aspirant, for statutory delegates, Mr Okey Asolo, the deputy chairman of PDP in Anambra State who stood in for the chairman, Hon Ndubisi Nwobu, said PDP would not give its November 6 governorship ticket to anybody with a defection record.

A cross-section of some of the statutory delegates at the Worship Conference organized by High Chief Obiora Okonkwo in Awka

‘Whoever we choose to represent us in the election must be a person with consistent character and a party man,’ Asolo who described some of the 16 governorship aspirants in the party as spies, said.

The deputy chairman said such defectors whom he described as fifth columnists, would not be given any opportunity because doing so would amount to empowering their future enemies.

‘We’ll endorse a party man in our primary election; somebody who has love for the party; somebody who has been consistent with our party; somebody who has helped to build the party in the state. Not fair weather political associates. We won’t give our ticket to serial defectors.

‘From what we hear about the 16 aspirants contesting the governorship on our party’s platform, some of them are fifth columnists working for our opponents.

‘They are into the race to destroy us. We know such aspirants and they can’t get our endorsement, no matter the inducement,’ he vowed.

Asolo said though they had not seen some of such aspirants, it was however time to think deep in order not to compromise their consciences.

Speaking, Okonkwo said the primary concern of the party now should be winning the November 6 poll, rather than, according to him, deluding on zoning of the governorship slot.