By Our correspondent
Traders in Onitsha, Anambra State commercial hub have decried the alleged obnoxious and incompetent leadership of the President -General of Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association ( ASMATA), Chief Humphrey Anuna.
The traders who spoke journalists in Onitsha described the leadership of Chief Anuna as “a serious threat to Governor Soludo’s second tenure come 2025,” urging the Governor to act fast and investigate the activities of Chief Anuna before he put sand in his garri.
According to traders, inspite of several complaints against Chief Anuna, which they said fell on deaf ears, Anuna ignored them and continued to frustrate traders who are major supporters of the Governor.
They alleged that the genesis of the crises between Chief Anuna and some Market leaders which led to their sack by Anuna last weekend was when he, Chief Anuna began to attack them if they commend Soludo’s administration in their public speech.
He would always complain that some of them want to outshine them, saying that they should commend the Governor, rather that he alone should be allowed to do that.
The traders also alleged that Chief Anuna was quoted as saying that “Soludo is governing in Awka, while he is in charge in Onitsha.
Therefore every loyalty meant for the Governor should be given to him as one who controls Market and generate revenue for the Government”.
The traders also said he was ni longer comfortable with those Market leaders, hence the unwarranted attack against them which has continued unabated that has generated tension between Chief Anuna and Market leaders in the State
They said that Chief Anuna has been consistently issuing threats of sack to any Market leader or his core executives who failed to support his illegalities and incompetence.
Buttressing the views of the traders, Chief Sir. Ben Chukwuma, a textile dealer in Ochanja Market explained that the major problem of Chief Anuna is his incompetence and self-centeredness.
He said that Chief Anuna’s intimidation and sack threat to market leaders which he carried through last weekend when he sacked the Ist and 2nd Vice-Presidents and others for allegedly working against him has destroyed the yeam spirit which ought to exist among Market leaders in the State.
Chief Chukwuma said even before the last sack of some market leaders by Chief Anuna many ASMATA executives have not been keen in attending meetings due to his high handedness and penchant to hijack discussion during meetings, accusing the ASMATA President General of assuming himself as the “Idi Amin of Anambra market”.
” Imagine a Government appointee,an interim appointee at that having the gut to sack people appointed along with him and instructed people to obtain permission from him before they can talk about his Governor positively” He boosted that he has the powers to remove and put any Market leader,a boast he had carried out. Infact, traders have no leadership as of now”, the traders said.
Also speaking, Evangelist Pascal Onuike, a trader at Bridgehead condemned the recent removal of some market leaders, most of them arch supporters of APGA in the State, Local Governments and communities.
” I think this Man has a mission against the Governor but he doesn’t know. He is not acting like APGA Party loyalist. His body language is like one who is a mole. The truth is that Onwa has no capacity to deliver Soludo in his second tenure and that is why he has become jittery, making competent and tested market leaders escape goats, those who have capacity both financially and in popularity to muster support for the Governor n 2025″ he warned.
Mr. Onyedika Chukwujekwu, a tailoring material dealer attributed bad leadership of Chief Anuna o illiteracy and selfishness, urging Soludo to remove him and put another capable hand that can mobilise support for him in the 2025 Governorship election.
