Nnewi North Mayor Denies Shops Demolition Allegation; Pledges Support for Soludo

By Mokwugwo Solomon, Awka

The Mayor of Nnewi North local government area of Anambra state, Hon. Echezona Anazodo, has made a firm statement that the opposition elements cannot take over Nnewi North ahead of the November 8 governorship election.

A certain video has been circulating of recent, where a woman was laying strong claim that the administration in Nnewi North is planning to demolish hundreds of shops in the popular Agbaedo Market in Nnewi, with the aim to build new structures and collect a whooping three million, one hundred thousand naira from every trader.

The women in the video also suggested that if Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo failed to call the local government administration to order to withdraw such plan, the governor would lose votes of Nnewi North LGA, especially those of women, in the coming governorship election.

But in an interview on Friday, October 17, 2025, the Mayor of Nnewi North LGA, Hon. Echezona Anazodo, said that the protest was stagemanaged and orchestrated by people in the opposition political parties that want to cease the opportunity of the November 8 governorship election to cause disaffection for the government in power.

“From our investigations, the woman in the viral video is not a trader in the market, because, she has no shop there. So, we don’t understand where she is coming from. What happened was a mere propaganda orchestrated by the opposition elements to cause tension, and to make it appear like Nnewi North LGA is not supporting Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo in the November 8 governorship election in this state.

“But unfortunately for them, Nnewi North is already taken. Nnewi North belongs to the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), and as far as the November 8 governorship election in the state is concerned, Nnewi North is for Soludo.

“How could somebody go to the social media to instigate that Nnewi North will not support APGA and Soludo in the coming election, whereas the people supported the party’s candidate in the August 16, 2025 senatorial by-election and ensured his victory. Our people will make similar statement come November 8, because, we’re going to support Soludo one hundred percent.

“Let it be on record that Nnewi North has decided that we shall no longer be in the opposition. The people doing all these gimmicks are from the opposition political parties, and I wouldn’t want to mention names – but their plan is to cause disaffection ahead of the governorship election. But Nnewi people already know them and their gimmicks. Propaganda cannot threathen our collective resolve to support Governor Soludo 100% because, our minds are already made up”, he said.

On the issue of planned demolition of trader’s shops in order to build new ones and collect N3.1m from each trader, the local government boss said that such thing is neither here nor there.

He said, “There is no demolition in Agboedo Market, and there is no plan to do such thing in foreseeable future. There is also no plans to collect N3.1 million from every trader in the market. If we had any intention to put up new structures in the market, we can do so the way we did it before. It is on record that Nnewi North LGA administration under my watch built ultra modern market stalls in the same market and allowed petty traders to occupy them without paying a dime. So, if we actually wanted to build structures, it is not with the intention to make money from traders.

“It is on record that the market was in a sorry state when our government came in, but we did our best to make sure that the market looks like a place where human beings do businesses. The state government reconstructed Adili road that led to the Agbedo Market. The local government administration is currently reconstructing internal roads within the market. We’re equally constructing drainage channels, controlling erosions, building toilet facilities and shops – all at no additional cost to the traders.

“Considering what government has done to create conducive environment for traders in the market, we least expected that kind of ill conceived protest. I’m short of words when I saw the video because such idea was never conceived in the first place. We never intended to demolish shops – we don’t collect any such money from any trader in the market. What could ever be collected from the market is stallage, which is state government levy on Anambra traders.

“Apart from this, if any trader paid N3.1m or such money to anybody in the local government, he should come up with proofs; because, I never had any meeting with anybody to either demolish shops or collect N3.1 million from any trader in the market. Anybody having contrary claim should come up with proofs.

“If we could build ultra modern shops costing hundreds of millions, and gave them out to petty traders at no cost, I doubt if we could demolish traders’ shops with the intention to collect N3.1 million.”

The local government Mayor urged traders in the market to go about their normal businesses without any fear or doubt, as the local government administration has genuine intentions for them.

“As a local government administration, we’re making frantic efforts to key into the Solution agenda, because, Governor Soludo is transforming Anambra state into an emerging modern state, and Nnewi North cannot be left out,” he concluded.