The Association of South East Town Unions (ASETU), an umbrella body of presidents general of town unions in Igboland, has flayed Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano; accusing of trying to foment trouble in the region because of his selfish political interest.

The group subsequently, threw its weight behind the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Peter Obi, in the Saturday next week presidential election

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, recently adopted the candidacy of Atiku, a move that has continued to elicit mixed reactions from various quarters.

The Anambra State Government challenged the process leading to Ohanaeze’s endorsement of the former vice president, saying prominent Igbo sons and daughters were clearly excluded from the Imeobi meeting that ratified the adoption.

ASETU, after its extraordinary expanded National Executive Committee (NEC) in Enugu, yesterday, said: “That as the custodians of the grassroots, the town unions shall rise up in defence of the wishes of the majority of our people and stoutly resist any attempt by a few discredited individuals and political merchants, who are attempting to trade off the South East for their personal pecuniary interests.”

It enjoined Ndigbo living across the country to take their destiny in their hands by coming out en masse to vote for the Atiku/Obi joint ticket.

The communiqué was signed by the National President, Chief Emeka Diwe; National Secretary, Gideon Adikwuru and Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), Chief I. I. Onwubuya.

Others who signed the communique were the state chairmen of the presidents general in the five South East states of Ebonyi, Chief Ugochukwu Akpa; Enugu, Chief Paully Eze; Anambra, Chief Jimie Asoegwu; Imo, Chief Monday Ikokwu and Abia, G. U. Mgborukwe, respectively.

ASETU, in the communique said the town unions, being the ancient and homogenous grassroots assembly of the Igbo race, elected by the people of various communities for the overall development, peace, unity and local administration of the Igbo nation, remained the true mouthpiece and conscience of the marginalised people of the region.

Having followed political developments in Nigeria since 2015, and rising from an extraordinary NEC meeting on the current political trajectory in Nigeria, ASETU stated: “We have resolved to support those who mean well for the South East and Nigeria at large.

“That the wide acceptance of Atiku/Obi combination, a detribalised team, committed to the unity, peace and progress of the country by the people of South East at home and abroad for February 16 election is hereby endorsed by the town unions, in alignment with the earlier position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and completeness of the Igbo man’s grassroots-oriented and egalitarian nature.”

ASETU however, alleged that the APC Federal Government, had in the last three and half years, pursued marginalisation agenda against the zone both in appointments to the critical positions of authority, allocation of infrastructure and the destruction of the Eastern rail corridor.

•Sourced from a Daily Sun report

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