Anambra traders give Obiano 7-day ultimatum, demand cancellation of election result 

 

 

By Phil Okose Onitsha

 

 

Two hundred and three (203) lines Chairmen and secretaries of Ogbaru main ( Relief) market, near Onitsha, Anambra state, weekend gave Governor Willie Obano a seven-day ultimatum within which to cancel the result of the market election conducted at Fegge stadium on 25 January this year failure which would prompt them to embark on severe protest to Awka, state capital.

 

Speaking on the ultimatum, the Chairmen and secretaries descried the election as imposition  of candidates on the traders adding that it was marred with fraud and illegality.

 

Briefing newsmen, the chairman of the lines Chairmen,  Chief Chinyelugo Nnamekwu, said that , “there was no election but selection of candidates by the leadership of markets  in the state in collaboration with Chief Ndubisi Ochiogu, the  so called winner of the election.”

 

” Out of 203 lines Chairmen and secretaries of the market, 199 did not vote as we were disenfranchised by being barred from entering the stadium to vote by ASMATA security operatives  deployed to disenfranchise  us and we  were dumped at the entrance gate of the stadium till the end of the election.”

 

“Funny enough those that voted were non traders brought with about five buses, ASMATA security operatives and women who could not even identify who they voted for as they were just ordered to queue up and be counted”

 

“Also unregistered lines we have not even heard of befor were announced that election day and unknown lines Chairmen and secretaries that bore those fake names were allowed to go in and vote, leaving the  genuine lines Chairmen and Secretaries to their fate outside the stadium.”

 

“This protest is going to be the mother of all protests in the state, we will gound the state if after seven days the Governor does not cancel the result of the election”

 

“Out of the three chairmanship candidates, two of them, Chief Victor Nwawuzie Akirika and Obidike, boycotted the election on observing that it was being marred with fraud as non traders of the market queued up to vote”

 

Also reacting, the secretary of all the lines Chairmen and Secretaries, Chukwuebuka Uchenna, said that, “I have been in this market for over 30 years but have not seen this type of thing, where non traders will be asked to go and vote on behalf of genuine traders of our market”.

 

“We have a constitution and our constitution was not followed. The constitution said chairman and secretary and two persons from each line but this time they dumped the genuine chairmen and Secretaries and picked the people they prefer that will support them to win”

 

“We would have protested earlier but we were advised not to do so that the government will come to our rescue but he did not, so we are unstoppable in this protest, after one week and nothing is done, we will have no other option than to embark on the protest”

 

“They created Bucknor lines, three bank lines, oil line, these names were created to increase the votes of the so called winner”

 

The commissioner for Trade, Commerce, Markets and Wealth Creation, Hon Uchenna Okafor, told us that 120 lines with be the number to vote but on the day of the election 233 lines, both registered and fake voted, leaving us the genuine lines Chairmen and secretaries outside”

 

In a swift reaction, Chief Ndubisi Ochiogu, described their claim as false and unfounded adding that the election was free, fair and credible.

 

According to him, “my victory was a pay back to me by the traders for my achievements in the market. I brought light, water, security and opened account with the bank on behalf of the traders, which no successive government have done in the market”.

 

On the allegation that he went to each of the market lines and picked two people of his choice and made them chairman and secretary thereby dumping the genuine ones he described it as false adding, “I went to the lines like other contestants did to know the line chairmen and Secretaries, so how would my be different”.END.

 

Pix shows the lines Chairmen and secretaries at the entrance gate outside the stadium