By Lawrence Nwimo
No fewer than 200 traders under the aegis of Concerned Onitsha Drug Market Traders Onitsha, Anambra State have staged a peaceful protest over continued non conduct of leadership election in the market.
The traders at the Drug International Market Onitsha popularly known as (Ogbogwu) gave the state governor, Willie Obiano, fourtheen days ultimatum to conduct election to elect new leadership ahead of the governor-elect, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s inauguration.
Mr. Leo Ezievuo, who spoke on behalf of the traders in the protest held at the State Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Market and Wealth Creation complex Awka, on Tuesday, appealed to the governor to listen to their plight, noting that the drug market is peaceful and devoid of violence for the conduct of such election.
He also appealed for the intervention of the State Commissioner for Trade, Commerce, Market and Wealth Creation, Hon. Uchenna Okafor to enable them to elect their preferred leaders.
Ezievuo said the election was needed as traders are prepared and ready to elect their leaders, revealing that those who are protesting against the election have no stake in the market and were sponsored by those who felt that the election might not favour them if conducted.
He frowned at the none conduct of the election on the stipulated date and described as miscreants some people who endulged in fabricating all manners of lies against the Commissioner, Caretaker Chairman of the Ogbogwu Market and traders in general.
Continuing, he said some people never allowed peace to reigns in the market, just as he averred that all the allegations that the market is in violence and traders are in loggerhead with each other are false alarm and unfounded.
”We assured that our market is peaceful, and it is verifiable.We are tired of Care-taker leadership. Traders want to elect their leaders by themselves. People who are protesting against the election are unknown to the market Union and entire traders. They are hired thugs.”
“We campaigned for the in-coming Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo when he visited Bridge- Head Market during the election campaign which he emerged winner with our votes in support.
“Now, the coast is clear, the same people who absconded from the market during Soludo’s visit/ campaign tour wanted to reap from where they did not sow by blackmailing everybody in order to tag themselves best and stop the conduct of the long awaited leadership election in Onitsha drug market.
In his brief response, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Wealth Creation, Barrister Ike Samuel Chinedu promised to conduct the election in no distance time.
Barr Chinedu who spoke on behalf of his Commissioner, Hon. Uche Okafor, reassured them that their demands will be made known to the governor as soon as possible.