2023 : PDP, APC tried to bribe us to win Anambra – market chairman

By Phil Okose, Onitsha

Facts emerged Thursday, that the People’s Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC, did everything humanly possible to bribe traders at the Ogbaru Relief (Main) market, near Onitsha, Anambra State, to vote for them instead of All Progressives  Grand Alliance, APGA, during the just concluded general elections.

The chairman of the market, Chief Ndubisi Ochiogu, made the disclosure while fielding questions from newsmen in his office on the position of the traders before, during and after the elections.

“My market is APGA market, even Ebelechukwu Obiano, wife to former Governor Willie Obiano, gave us #1million as ardent supporters of APGA, which we shared amongst ourselves, traders, that were present. The traders because of me insisted on voting for APGA and bluffed the bribery attempt.

“The traders know I always stand for the truth, that I am here for APGA Government and themselves.In my country home, Oraukwu, it is the same thing, we stand for APGA and the youths there are always for me because I tell them the truth. I told them that with Governor Soludo’ the State will be taken to the next level.

“In Okpoko today, it is turning to new heaven as the name implies. What develop a community are water, road and light. Soludo’ is working on the roads in Okpoko now and cost of a plot of land there now is on the high side. He is installing solar lights that will go round the State. He is replacing the former light that is powered with gas to solar which is cheaper,” he hinted.

According to him anybody that is Igbo should support Soludo’ in his  rapid infrastructural development of the State, adding that for the first time in history he has made Okpoko to become developed.

He however, attributed Soludo’s problems to  political opponents and bad leaders and recalled that former Governor Willie Obiano appointed mostly his relations in office who eventually sabotaged him, Obiano.

Chief Ochiogu advised Governor Soludo’ to beware of those who rumour that he is at war with the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, hinting that such people only want to be relevance in government.

On the infrastructures in the market, Chief Ochiogu lamented that most of the items in the market rotted away within the short period he was not in office and listed them to include, security vehicle, equipment for pipe borne water and power supply.

“Even the public toilet I built was converted to private property so that the owner will be collecting the money into his private pause. Something that belongs to  the  traders,” he stated.

He also expressed worry over the absence of network service in the market hinting that as a matter of urgency, he has contacted the network serce providers for talks on how to ensure steady network services in the market.

Commending the chairman for his selfless efforts in the development of the market, a trader, Miss Chinelo Kelvin said that for months now the market has been without network  service because the chairman, Ochiogu was not on seat.

“God will keep Ochiogu for us, since he was not in office for months there has not been network service. If a customer calls you to ascertain prices of goods, your phone will not respond because there is no network service in the market,” she lamented.