Onitsha traders protest refusal of caretaker committee members to vacate office

Members of Sokoto Road Traders Association, a unit of Onitsha South Shop Owners Association (OSSOTAN) and an appendage of Onitsha Main Market yesterday protested

the refusal of Chief Amechi Okafor-led Caretaker Committee members to vacate the office and hand over the mantle of leadership to Ignatius Oforzoba-led newly elected nine-man executive.

During the exercise, which lasted for several hours, the protesters took over Sokoto Road down to  Ose-Ekwodu Market, Biafra Market, in Fegge area, up to Ochanja Market through Oguta Road to Old Market Road with their placards.

Some of the inscriptions contained in the placards were; “We say no to Amechi and his caretaker committee members,” Government should call AMATAS president to order,” Amechi has killed us with his thugs,” Government should recognise newly elected executive led by Oforzoba,” “Caretaker committee leadership is unconstitutional,” “We don’t want bloodshed on Sokoto Road,” “No another election,” “The election of January 22, 2015 stands,” “Amechi should vacate office,” “We will no longer tolerate extortion from traders by Amechi group,” “Government should intervene before lives are lost inside the market.”  among others.

Addressing the traders at Old Market road, during the exercise, two shop owners in the market, Chinedu Adinma and Okechukwu Udor, said they witnessed the January 22, 2015 election that brought in Oforzoba and his executive into office, adding that it was regrettable that Amechi and his caretaker members refused to vacate office after the election.

Adinma and Udor recalled that during the election held at Ozubulu Town Hall, Onitsha, they got an information that Amechi and Ezenwankwo, the president of Anambra Markets Aalgamated Taders Association (AMATAS) had dispatched some thugs into the venue to disrupt the exercise and the traders hurriedly cast their votes and elected Oforzoba.

Insisting that the election stands, having been supervised by members of Board of Trustees (BoT) of the market and officials of Directorate of State Services (DSS) from Onitsha South Local Government Area Anex, they called on Governor Willie Obiano to intervene and allow the new executive to take over the mantle of leadership, since their election was free and fair.

Another shop owner in the market, Emeka Iloegbunam also told newsmen that both Amechi and his secretary, Callistus Igboka even bought nomination forms for the election but while Igboka retuned his own form, Amechi did not return his own probably for fear of losing the election, adding that he has since then been moving around with thugs in the market and confusing the traders.

In a telephone chat, Oforzoba told newsmen that there would be no other election in the market, having been elected on January 22, just as the Secretary of BoT, Oduma Charles explained that he and his members supervised the election in the absence of Chief Eric Uwaoma, Chairman of Onitsha South Shop Owners Association of Nigeria ( OSSOTAN), who declined to conduct the election, a day to the exercise because according to him, the AMATAS president had instructed him not to participate in the election.

Commenting on the matter, the embattled chairman of the caretaker committee, Okafor said he was not aware of any election   in the market, adding that he had information that government would soon conduct an election that will be acceptable to all.

All efforts to get in touch with the State Commissioner for Trade, Commerce and Industry, Chief Ifeatu Onejeme proved abortive as his line remained engaged all through.

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