Traders at the Electronics International Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, have taken to the streets of Fegge in the commercial city of Onitsha, to protest the non-conduct of election in the market as well as an alleged plot to impose a caretaker committee on the traders.

The traders had reportedly shut down their businesses weekend for a scheduled market leadership election at the Godwin Achebe Mini Stadium, Fegge, when suddenly, one of the chairmanship candidates and incumbent chairman of the market, Mr. Izuchukwu Okoye, announced to that the state Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Wealth Creation, Dr. Christian Mmadubuko, had directed that the election be suspended following threat and pressure from some powerful persons in the state corridors of power against him.

While the address by Okoye was still going on, the traders immediately mobilised themselves and commenced a peaceful protest outside the election venue.

Some of the placards carried by the traders had the inscriptions, “Gov. Obiano conduct election for us in the market”, “Ibeh has no shop in the market”, “There is no crises in the market that warrants imposition of caretaker committee”, “We want election and not caretaker”, and “Aides to Gov Obiano, leave our market alone”, among others.

Some of the traders in the market who spoke to our correspondent pleaded that three months be given to sort out all issues before conducting another election.

They expressed worry that the President General of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (AMATAS), Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, and his team that would have conducted the aborted election were not physically present at the election venue and wondered if AMATAS had been compromised.

On his part, Chukwubuike Kama, a vice chairmanship aspirant in the election, said that majority of the traders opposed the imposition of a caretaker leadership in the market and called on the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor, to call Fr. Marafa to order.

However, a chairmanship candidate for the said election, Mr. Emmanuel Ibeh, a.k.a Lion Base, has been fingered as the architect of the game plan.

Information gathered by News Express has it that the chairmanship candidate is working towards perfecting the plan of becoming a chairman in the market through a former Chaplain to Anambra State Government House Chapel and close ally to Gov. Willie Obiano, Rev Fr. N. Marafa.

According to a trader who spoke on the condition of anonymity, he said that because Ibeh knows he will not have majority votes to win election if it is conducted credibly, he wants to manipulate his way in through a caretaker chairman.

The traders vowed to resist any caretaker leadership in the market, stressing that the market election should be given a priority and not caretaker committee.

They accused Mr. Ibeh whom they said had often boasted would work to be installed as the caretaker committee chairman after failing three times of desperately trying to lead them by hook or crook.

When contacted, Mr. Emmanuel Ibeh, denied all the allegations and promised to speak to the press at a later time.