Traders and members of the Electronic Dealers Association Onitsha (EDAO), Anambra State have rejected the caretaker committee put in place by Governor Chukwuma Soludo to run the affairs of the market.
The market executives had constituted electoral committee to conduct election for the various positions in the market association according to its constitution before government stopped it and constituted a caretaker committee.
The inauguration of the committee has thrown the market into confusion because members claimed it runs contrary to their constitution.
They also said that what they need is elected executives and not caretaker committee to run the affairs of the market.
Some of the stakeholders in the market who who spoke to our correspondent said that the government action is like throwing a bomb into a peaceful environment.
Speaking to journalists at Onitsha on Wednesday, Board of Trustees member of the market, Chief Ben Anyawu, stated they were disappointed by the government’s appointment of a caretaker committee.
According to him, the tenure of the sacked executive expired on July 13, 2022 and they are expecting election in the market which members had opted for as the normal thing.
He said: “After concluding all arrangements for the conduct of election, candidates have paid their required money and were screened, the next we heard was that government does not want election to be conducted in any of the Anambra markets.
“They inaugurated the caretaker committee on 29th of July in Awka, state capital without knowledge of members of the market.
“The caretaker committee was unveiled on 2nd of August 2022 without information and we thought they will present them to market on Wednesday being prayer meeting day, they did not.
“On Tuesday, when the former president unveiled the interim executives, many people were locked outside in the market around 8 am. The matter is still in the court and I don’t know what the government tends to gain.”
Also speaking the immediate past deputy president of the market, Chukwubuike Kama, said that court had given order that there should be status quo ante in the market pending the determination of suit at the high court over same issues.
