Anambra Market Crisis: "You must conduct election" - Board of Trustees Insists

Gov Obiano

The Board of Trustees (BoT) of Amalgamated Markets Traders of Anambra State (AMATAS), has insisted that they will soon conduct the election into the executive of the body to fill the vacuum created by the exit of their immediate leader, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo.

The acting chaiman of BoT, AMATAS, Chief Emmanuel Udegbunam, told newsmen  in their office at Modebe Avenue, Onitsha that they have been consulting with the relevant stakeholders of the body and after that consultation they will hold their election.

He said the tenure of Ezenwankwo led executive will  expire by the of this June but because Chief Nwankwo wanted to formally hand over to a new executive they fixed June 5, 2019 for the election which was postponed indefinitely on the request of Governor Willie Obiano.



Udegbunam said in deference to the Governor they postponed the election because they do not want to have confrontation with him.

However, last week the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr. Christian Madubuko, who has been the arrowhead in the plot to  disband ASMATA announced a 70- man Caretaker Committee including Electoral Committee and patrons with Chief Ekwegbalu Caretaker chaiman of Onitsha Main Market, said to be Governor Obiano's wife's elder  brother as the chairman.

But Udegbunam who insisted that there was no crisis in Anambra Markets said there is  no provision for Caretaker Committee in the Constitution of ASMATA, hence the need for them to hold their election.

The Secretary of BoT, Chief Chuma Eruchalu, said  very soon they will come out with the  timetable  for the  election of AMATAS executives that will expire by the 30th of June, 2019.

He said that those who want to contest for any position should indicate apart from those they had earlier shortlisted.
Eruchalu reiterated that  there was no crisis in any Anambra market in Anambra State and that the tenure of their zonal executives has not expired as some would want the public to believe.

He said most of the tenures of the zonal executives are still running, with some having one year, two years and three years to end.

The secretary also explained that the tenure of ASMATA central executive does not run together with that of the zones.

In another related development, the  immediate first deputy President-General of ASMATA, Chief Gozie Akudolu, had been unanimously elected as the President-General of South East Amalgamated Traders Association (SEAMATA).

In election held in Enugu last Tuesday, June 25, Emeka Emechebe from Abia and Mrs. Ngozika Ozioko from Enugu were elected first and second deputy President-general respectively.

Others elected in the 15-man executives were Hon. Temple Ude, Coordinator, Enugu, Alex Okwudili, Secretary, Imo, Christopher Kalibe, Assistant Secretary, Abia, Augustine Onyia, Financial Secretary, Enugu, Treasurer, Hon. Peter Oba, Ebonyi, Publicity Secretary, Chuma, Eruchalu, Anambra, Assistant Publicity Secretary, Christopher Eze, Ebonyi, Organising Secretary, Dom Ofoegbu, Ebonyi, Chief Provost, Acho Obi, Imo, Assistant Provost, Tochukwu Adiah, Anambra, Welfare Officer, Elder Martin Iwuozor, Imo, and Assistant Welfare Officer, Endy Ekpendu, Abia.