Traders to Obiano: Conduct market election or risk losing guber poll to opposition

Traders of the Onitsha Main Market Amalgamated Traders Association (OMMATU), Anambra State has asked Governor Willie Obiano led government to prevail on the appointed Caretaker Committee to conduct election for traders to avert looming crisis in the market. The aggrieved traders, under the aegis of Agitators for Democratic Election in Main Market, warned that the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) would experience ‘Tsunami’ in the November 6 governorship election if their call for conduct of their own election was ignored. Addressing newsmen on yesterday in Onitsha, the over 30 selected traders from different section of the three zones in the market, led by Mr Christiantus Okeke stressed that APGA stood chances of losing the guber poll if the market elections were neglected. He said, “We’ve taken enough of the appointed Caretaker Chairmen to run the affairs of the market. If the APGA led government goes into the November governorship election without conducting election for us, the party will be embarrassed with the outcome of the result. “We are specifically calling on Governor Obiano, a man we supported 100% in both his first and second tenures election to prevail on Ministry of Trader, Commerce and Wealth Creation and Mr. Kenneth Onyeka led Caretaker Committee of OMMATU to conduct the market election before November 6. “We can assure them ignoring our demand will definitely lead to opposition parties’ infiltration and possible winning of the heart of the traders.” Reacting, Mr Kenneth Onyeka alleged that the protesters were former market leaders who were not only short changing state government, but were unhappy with the economic impact his administration was making in the state. He said, “Those calling for election in the market are either PDP card carrying members who want to take over the market or people being sponsored by PDP chieftains who want to cause trouble in the market. Most of them are not even from the state.”  (The Nation)