Traders in Ose Okwuodu Market Besiege Govt House Awka Over Disolvement Of Elected Leaders
By Oge Onyeanusi, Onitsha
No fewer than 300 traders in Oseokwuodu market, Onitsha, Anambra State on Thursday, besieged the State government house over dissolvement of elected executives by Anambra Governor, Prof Charles Soludo, to impose a caretaker leadership on them.
Governor Charles Soludo had in a statement from the office of the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr Obinna Ngonadi, last week, dissolved thirty markets, adding that Oseokwuodu and others would have their newly elected officers dismmissed for constitution of caretaker committees.
The traders, who came with placards of different inscriptions, appealed to the governor not to dissolve their leadership, because according to them, elections into their offices were duly conducted on February 3, 2022 under the supervision of the state government, representatives of Anambra State Market and Traders Association (ASMATA) and security.
The traders ( protesters ) said that the election that produced the incumbent leadership was duly approved and monitored by officials of the state government and therefore should be allowed to serve their tenure.
According to them, they said that the governor’s action is in clear contravention and abuse of rights of the market traders to chose their leaders which they had earlier done in a free, fair and credible election , process held on February 3, 2022.
Speaking after the peaceful demonstration, the elected Chairman of the market, Hon. Anthony Onwuetiaka, expressed displeasure that their election would be dissolved in three months through announcement on social media without even consulting them.
Onwuetiaka said , upon reading the content on social media, his executive contacted the commissioner to find out why their leadership which was to last for three years would be dissolved for no cogent reason, and the commissioner said it was due to several petitions.
According to him “I requested for copies of the petitions. The Honourable Commissioner could not provide any. I asked him why? He said may be the aggrieved parties petitioned the governor directly. That is why we are here to tell our governor that we have no issue in the market about the election. We don’t also need any caretaker committee. We are with the government and ever ready to discuss and partner them,” he noted.
The executives said that they remain law abiding citizens who are willing to toe the path of peace and progress of the new government in place.
The State Commissioner for Homelands Affairs, Mr Chikodi Anara, who was represented by Head (Operations) in the Ministry, Dr Samuel Ezenduka ,received the protesters.
He assured the protesters that their requests would be duly communicated to the governor for necessary attention, decisions and positive action.
Ezenduka commended the traders for their conduct on a peaceful and orderly manner to press home their demands.
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