By Praise Chinecherem
Market leaders, especially chairmen in Anambra State have given those masquerading as petition writers, including the one under the aegis of Anambra Elite Traders’ Forum, against the Commissioner for Commmerce and Industry, Hon. Obinna Ngonadi, two weeks ultimatum to desist from their nefarious activities or face the wrath of the traders in the State.
Chairman of Nkpor New Auto Spareparts market, Chief Elysius Ozokwere wondered why the Commissioner was accused of disobedience to court order in the market when the Commissioner has not been appointed as at the time defeated opposition in the market took the incumbent leadership to court.
He said, “They took us to Ogidi High court, accusing us of construction of shops on top of existing shops and we defeated them and court also awarded #1million cost in our favour because we have our documents to construct, from the State Government.
“They now headed to Appeal court and want to dent the image of the Commissioner by accusing him of taking #80million gratification for the construction of the shops.
“These people who are petitioning to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, against the Commissioner don’t have identity, they are defeated candidates who lost election and some have no shops on their own. Power is not shared, it is given by God. If you lost election wait for another time.”
Also in their various contributions, vice chairman- Mr. Ikechukwu Jude Onyegbu, financial secretary- Alexander C. Orji and the secretary, Hon. Uche Malobi, reiterated that the Commissioner was innocent of the accusation levelled against him adding that the petitioners are bunch of holigans who have no good reputation in the markets and urged the Governor to disregard their petition.
Reacting, chairman of Electronics Dealers International market, Onitsha, Hon. Ifeanyi Egwuenu, accused a sacked secretary of the market of collaborating with other enemies of the State Government to cause crises in the markets.
“The sacked secretary embezzled the money paid by MTN for installing its mask in the market and that was why the former chairman sacked him and since then he started fighting the market leadership, insisting that we will not know peace. He does not have wares to sell in the make but instigates people to forment trouble in the market as means for him to get to leadership post.
“My executive members and I didn’t pay Kobo to the Commissioner to be given this leadership post. It was the elders of the market that came to me and asked me to take up the position. The sacked secretary who has been in office for 12 years as secretary, with other defeated and those who overstayed in office, that were removed by the State Government, vowed to continue to fight the Commissioner for not allowing them to continue in their selfish leadership of the markets in the State,” he hinted.
Speaking, a film producer in the market, Chief Anthony Okechukwu Nwafu, commended the Commissioner for picking the likes of the chairman of the Electronics market as market chairmen, adding that Egwuenu had within his short stay rebuilt the fallen fence of the market that cost about a million naira, with his money.
“So the Commissioner will be having enemies for doing good things to sanitize the markets. Those who felt they were owners of markets before the Commissioner came on board and said no that Government owns them, will not rest in fighting the Commissioner”, he stated.
Also in his contribution, the chairman of Atani Iron Dealers Association, Chief Evaristus Ejezie, said that he did not pay a dime to be appointed as chairman of the market by the Commissioner.
“When people were congratulating me and calling me new chairman, I was surprised, even if the chairman has finished his eight years of two tenures, and I was his vice. So I felt maybe because I was his vice that was why the Commissioner made me the chairman. So anybody that accuses the Commissioner of collecting money for giving market leadership posts, is an enemy of the State Government and should be seen as devil”, he posited.
Reacting, the chairman of Ogbaru Relief (Main) market, Chief Ogbogu Nwanodi, expressed surprise that the petitioners accused the Commissioner of taking bribe from traders before given them appointment.
“I was called to the Commissioner’s office and offered the chairman position of my market without knowing the Commissioner or offering him gratification. So the petitioners just want to tarnish his image” he said
Speaking, the Chairman of Ogbo Abada, Basil Ozor, said he was given appointment as chairman on a platter of gold, adding that he did not spend a Kobo to get the jof from the Commissioner.
Recall that the Anambra Elite Traders’ Forum (AETF), in their petition, signed by Chief Chikeluba Odiche and Mr. Michael Nwangwu, tagged: “Re-Sale of Market Leadership Offices”, and other attrocities being perpetrated by Dr. Obinna, ” was sent to Governor Soludo to caution Ngonadi.
