By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha
The Anambra State Traders Stakeholders Association have disassociated themselves from a recent petition against the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Hon. Obinna Ngonadi, accusing him of selling market leadership posts to highest bidders.
The group also described the market leaders behind the petition sent to Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, as corrupt and sacked leaders the Commissioner earlier removed from power over flawed election, sharp practices, intimidation of traders, overstay in office, and diversion of government revenues to private pockets in their various markets.
Making this disclosure in Onitsha, Wednesday, the chairman, Anambra State Traders’ Stakeholders Association, Chief Gilbert Okeke, told newsmen that the accusations levelled against the Commissioner were baseless and laughable as the petitioners, under the aegis of Anambra Elite Traders Forum, and represented by Chikeluba Odiche and Michael Nwangwu, were fictitious names without clear identification to authenticate their claims.
“The name of the forum is non existence, petitioners were fictitious names and no clear location as they were sponsored by corrupt sacked market leaders and defeated candidates who on approaching the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Hon. Obinna Ngonadi, with enticing gifts and huge sum of money, to give them audience, told them to stop coming to his office to give him bribe,” Okeke said.
“Governor Soludo is on the ground, he knows this game they are playing more than them and can not be deceived by the antics of those petitioners, most of who were sacked by the Commissioner over sharp practices, diversion of government revenue to private pockets, overstay in office and because the Commissioner bluffed them, they resorted to going to court, writing make-believe petitions and portraying the image of the Commissioner in bad faith” he said further.
“For instance, at Nkpor New Auto Spareparts market, a defeated chairmanship candidate, simply identified as “Award”, had since his defeat, continued to frustrate the infrastructural development of the leadership of the market. He went to an Idemili High court to stop construction project in the market and was defeated. He ran to zone 13 Police Command, Ukpo, and the Police Commander, Mr. Muri Musa, told him that since he was defeated at a High court and he went to Appeal court, that he should wait for the judgement of the Appeal court”, he said.
According to Chief Okeke, the petitioners did not accuse the Commissioner of collecting money from them but rather they vowed never to allow him remain in that seat and sanitize the markets since he refused to abide by their plea as they did to his predecessor and successive administrations.
He urged Governor Soludo to disregard their petition which they copied to various groups and clergy in a bid to attract sympathy hinting that Ogbaru (Main) Relief market, where the Commissioner sacked the market chairman and secretary, over illegal construction of shops, was a case study of part of the sanitation of the markets which the petitioners felt would continue if the Commissioner is allowed to remain in office.
Chief Okeke, however, expressed surprise that the Commissioner still retains the President of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA, Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu, in office, when he was part of those responsible for flawed market elections that worsened the markets situation before Hon. Ngonadi came on board.
