Onitsha market Chairman gives ‘sit-tight Line Excos’ 30 days to conduct fresh election

By Praise Chinecherem

Caretaker committee chairman, Onitsha Main market, Anambra State, Hon Chijioke Okpalaugo has given all line chairmen who have stayed between 15 to 30 years one month ultimatum to conduct fresh election and vacate office.

He threatened to constitute caretaker committees on those lines over failure to conduct the poll.

Okpalaugo spoke while playing host to his Awgbu Community indigenes trading at Onitsha Main market who stormed the market secretariat to pay solidarity and laud Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his appointment of their son as the market chairman.

Okpalaugo, while thanking them for showing brotherly love and support, reiterated that God has given them the opportunity to right the wrong in the market by his appointment and pledged not to disappoint them as he pilots the affairs of the market.

He described Awgbu youths as humble disclosing that in Igbo land Awgbu remains the community where youths learn apprenticeship skill (Igba Boil scheme) before being self employed unlike in other communities where youths go for quick money.

“I will return power to the youths, some people hold main market hostage, that it is their birth right.

“I have told them that I am giving them one month for any one that has been in leadership for 30 years, 20 years and 15 years to resign that I will conduct election or set up caretaker committee to inject new blood in the market for development.

“Some youths read leadership courses but the old that are in power denied them the opportunity to be in power.I have mandated all of them to conduct election and they are running up and down. Some are begging me to give them up to one month.

“One of them who has been line chairman for 30 years told me that why he is still there is to enable him contest for chairmanship of Onitsha Main market. Such people are suppose to be fathers, patrons. Soon people will see light in the market God willing”, he prayed.

Chairman of Awgbu Progress Union(APU), Onitsha branch, Chief Charles Okoye (Onwa), said he was happy with the appointment of their son, Okpalaugo as the Main market chairman and commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo also for the appointment of Chief of Staff, another of their son, Chief Ernest Ezeajughi,

“Okpalaugo will not disappoint, he will provide peace, I trust him. We are here to show solidarity and support to our son. With Okpalaugo and Chief of Staff, Ezeajughi, what is meant for Awgbu community will get to us,” he stated.

Contributing, a chieftain in Awgbu and President General of Akpaka Association, Chief Chinedu Akwuaka, (Dikeora Awgbu), said, “It is a thing of joy that we are here to show support and I commend Governor Soludo for the appointment of our son as chairman of Onitsha Main market.

“He should be given support for him to perform and for the market to move forward. He needs support to decongest main market and curtail multiple levies,” he pleaded.

Hon John Paul Udoji, who is the Chief Provost of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders’ Association, ASMATA/financial secretary, Onitsha Main market, stated that,

“We are here to show brotherly love to the chairman, Okpalaugo, people are picked to lead because of what they can achieve and not because they are part of campaign that brought the person to power.

“Okpalaugo has been a leader and what we want is one who will lead main market to the next level. So we are here to pay solidarity to him as a good leader,” he disclosed further.

In her speech, a woman trader, Lady Okoyeocha Beatrice, thanked God for the appointment of Okpalaugo and prayed God to guard and direct him in his new position.