Resist Pressure to Impose Caretaker Committee on Onitsha Main Market, Traders Urge Gov Soludo

By Alphonsus Nweze

Traders of Onitsha Main Market, Anambra State have passionately appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to resist the latest under- ground plot by some elements in his Government to remove the incumbent Caretaker Committee Chairman of Onitsha Main Market, Chief Innocent Ezeoha.
The traders said the grand plot to remove Ezennia of Umuchu was being spearheaded by officials of the State Ministry of Trade and Commerce headed by Chief Evaristus Uba, who is the Special Adviser to the Governor on Market.

The traders who spoke through their Coordinator, Chief Ibeme Victor, insisted that there is inherent danger in removing any market leader now, especially this period of gubernatorial electioneering in the State which Ndi Anambra are making frantic efforts to re-elect him for his second tenure.

They raised alarm of an already perfected plans by SPAD and his cohorts to constitute new Caretaker in Market but waiting for the formal approval by the Governor, urging him to quash such plans when it comes to his table.
The traders who are obviously aggrieved by this clandestine moves said: “We don’t see any evil Chief Ezennia committed that would warrant his removal. He has neither committed anything against the Government nor the traders. “But if Ezennia must be removed, formal election should be conducted to replace him. Alternatively, Government should choose another person from Zone 3 of the market as the new Central Caretaker Committee Chairman” the traders requested.

“Main Market has structures and it is through these structures that those who lead the Market emerge. The former Chairman was from zone 1, Chief Ezennia is from zone 2. So, it is the turn of zone 3 to lead the Market. But, why should Chief Ezennia be removed in the first instance with all his efforts to defend both the State Government’s interest and traders in the Market” the traders said.

Continuing Ibeme said:”This is pure injustice. May be they heard that Chief Ezennia collected (₦340,000,000) to the state government, and they want to come to grab it. It is unfair. This young man has performed excellently well since he came in. But these people want to drag Main Market back to the stone age. Why not SPAD collect ₦300,000 from ASMATA PG which Main Market women won during Match pass competition organized by ASMATA for Soludo’s re-election campaign ?. Up till now the ASMATA PG is still holding the money and SPAD has not said anything”

Also speaking, Lady Vero Nnemba said: “We are not sure if SPAD and his cohorts are actually working for the interest of Soludo because if they are, why should he not appreciate the efforts of Chief Ezennia in the Main Market, rather he wants to remove him at all cost so as to put those who will share Main Market’s money with them. Chief Ezennia is exceptional Market leader who has been protecting both the interest of Government and the traders around the Market”

Another trader in the Market, Elder Paulinus Chukwuemerie in his view said: “I will personally appeal to Soludo to wade into this matter because he loves Main Market as the pride of Anambra and Africa in general. Soludo through the dynamic leadership of Chief Ezennia brought tremendous development in Onitsha Main Market including road net work amongst others. We, the traders don’t want to go back to Egypt of leadership thuggery, money grabbers in this Market. Please, Mr. Governor we are under your mercy”

But when contacted through his Whatsapp page and SMS, Chief Uba did not respond to our enquiries.