Trouble is gradually building-up at Onitsha Progress Market, otherwise known as “Biafra market” following the alleged refusal of the incumbent chairman of the market, Mr Ekene Okoye to vacate office after aspiration of his tenure since July, 2018.
Some traders of the market who spoke through their spokesman, Mr Mathew Obiajulu said that traders of the market had suffered undue hardship due to alleged high-handedness of the present chairman whom they accused of elongating his tenure of office after eight years as chairman.
Mr Obiajulu alleged that a few traders who had opposed the incumbent’s plans of continuing in office were suspended from the market union and eventually chased out of the market after shutting-up their shops permanently for business.
Mr Obiajulu said: “Any form of opposition against the elongation of the chairman, Mr Okoye has a lot of consequences, moreso, some of the shops he permanently shut out of business after their owners had paid N425,000 to acquire them were resold to other willing and wealthy traders between the sum of N4 million and N5million.
Mrs Florence Obalum, a female trader, who said she was denied of a shop after paying the sum of N150,000 for a metal shop (container) before it was converted to concrete shops, complained that since 2013 when the payment was made, neither a shop nor her money had been refunded to her.
The traders who claimed they are now living in fear of threat to their lives and businesses further said that since the constitution of the market did not stipulate “third term” for a chairman or endorsement, they did not see the reason the incumbent chairman should connive with members of his executive to continue in office through “Kangaroo endorsement’’.
They called on the Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA), Commissioner for Trade, Commerce and Wealth Creation to begin the process of conducting election in the market as the present leadership is lacking in legitimacy.
When contacted, the embattled chairman of the market union, Mr Okoye denied all the allegations leveled against him.
He explained that some of the people fighting him were among those who endorsed him to continue in office after observing all his achievements and struggles to liberate the market from a wealthy businessman who had wanted to mortgage the entire land where the market is presently sited.
Mr Okoye appealed for calm, adding that he was very popular among the traders and believes in democracy, equity, justice and transparency.
