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Raymond Ozoji, Awka
Market leaders under the auspices of Anambra State Amalgamated Traders Association (AMATA) took to the streets at the weekend to protest over what they termed incessant gruesome molestations of traders by one Okwudili Ezenwankwo, a House of Representatives Member-Elect for Orumba-North and South federal constituency in Anambra state.
The protesters alleged that the said Okwudili Ezenwankwo, an outgoing president of the association, was on a clandestine move to organize what they described as kangaroo election for the association to enable him to plant his stooges in the markets for him to have firm control of the markets while at the Green Chambers.
Leader of the protesters and former acting chairman of Ogbaru Main Market Ogbaru local government area Chief Ndubuisi Ochiogu lamented that the 12 years Okwudili Ezenwankwo ran the affairs of AMATA was horrible as he mounted fears on market leaders using thugs to unleash terror on them.
He therefore pleaded that the state government should set up a caretaker committee for AMATA as they were not part of the kangaroo election that Okwudili Ezenwankwo was allegedly planning for June 15th this year; that having ruled for 12 years, it was pertinent that he left Anambra traders alone and go to the House of Representatives.
One of the protesters who gave his name as Mr. Oliver Nwankwo said he was the founder of AMATA and that the outgoing president took unilateral decisions, drafted the constitution and signed single-handedly.
He stated that traders no longer have their own say in the markets and that any person who attempted to question his actions met the wrath of daredevil thugs purportedly working for him.
Nwankwo further alleged that the said Okwudili Ezenwankwo has corrupted market leaders in Anambra state and that he equally boasted of being able to manipulate Governor Willie Obiano and the commissioner for trade and commerce Dr. Christian Madubuko, stressing that the House of Reps Member-Elect has seen himself as a demigod.
He also alleged that any person who does not belong to Okwudili Ezenwankwo’s elite club in Asaba, Delta state will not become a leader in the market and that the state government should stop the planned election slated for 15th June this year as the said election was a ploy to maintain his stronghold on markets in Anambra state.
However, the state commissioner for trade and commerce in Anambra state Dr. Christian Madubuko said he was astonished by the allegations levelled against the House of Reps Member-Elect saying that it was difficult to believe that a person of his calibre was accused of spreading Governor Willie Obiano’s private email address to people who sent messages to the governor to spite others.
Madubuko said for an individual to say he controls the governor was most unfortunate and that such statements should be withdrawn forthwith. Though the commissioner noted that it was an allegation, he also stated that the outgoing President-General would be invited to clear himself of all the allegations levelled against him.
