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| Willie Obiano |
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of AMATAS after a crucial meeting during the week appealed to Governor Obiano to allow the traders to elect their leaders through democratic process to avoid any friction within markets in the State.
The umbrella market organisation had planned to conduct election on June 5, 2019 with all the preparations completed but on June 4, 2019, the Governor called the outcome president Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo to call off the election, hinting of his plan to set up Caretaker Committee to oversee the markets in the State.
But Chief Emma Udegbunam, said that they were shocked at the decision of the Governor because they have met him several times to intimate him of our plan to conduct election, which he endorsed.
He said the Governor has all the time said he was in good term with the traders, assuring them of his support but never broached the issues of Caretaker Committee.
Udegbunam said that actually the Governor has been their friend and that is why they worked out their hearts to support him during the Governorship and House of Assembly elections.
He said that they have been under intense pressure to shut down markets and bring out traders to the streets to protest the cancellation of their election but they took a lot of things into consideration and decided to follow due process and rule of law to ensure that democratic process takes place.
"Traders have been calling us to shut down markets in the State but we looked at what is on the ground. People have just returned from Sit-at -Home. There are poverty and hunger everywhere. We don't need to punish people further. The hoodlums stopped from extorting people are hanging around. If you shut down markets, there will be monumental looting. We don't want to overheat the polity. People are hanging around for us to close markets so that they can loot and cause monumental destruction. They want to unleash mayhem on the people" he said.
He continued "that is why we are opting for dialogue. We will use all the legitimate means to fight our cause. We have gone to Court. We have served the Government".
Udegbunam insisted that the Board of Trustees will still conduct their election, saying that the former President-General connived with the Government in denying them opportunity to elect their leaders.
"We don't have anything against him but we have settled him. He should not dictate for us. We held back traders. We are not happy. AMATAS is not for sell to the highest bidder.The Governor should think twice. We are not happy. We know what it took us to deliver him, even in the last House of Assembly election" said Emma Nnewi as he is popularly called.
The secretary of BoT, Chuma Eruchalu, said they were not out for confrontation with the State Government but it was necessary to highlight vital issues for better appreciation of the situation by the public.
Eruchalu said AMATAS is a Non- Governmental Organisation registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
He said as a Non-governmental body, they have the power to elect their leadership, which process has been completed until it was torpedoed by the State Government.
"This is not good, not to allow traders to democratically elect those who will run their affairs. Government never put a dime in the construction of this our secretariat.For Government to think of imposing Caretaker is unacceptable" he said.
He said if Government had interest in any particular individual they should have encouraged the person to follow due process by obtaining nomination form, since we have no interest in any particular candidate.
He said "we have no issue with State but let the democratic process be followed. Anything outside that, we will resort to legal means".
Sources said that the two persons being touted for the Caretaker Committee President of AMATAS are relations of the wife of the Governor. Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu, the current Caretaker Chairman of Onitsha Main Market being touted as one of the favourite is said to be the elder brother of the first Lady, while Ifeanyi Chigbo, the chairman of Abada Market, who is also touted to be a top contender is said to be also a close relation of the Governor's wife.
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