Shun Call For By-Election In Ogbaru Market, BOT Chairman Tells Anambra Govt.
Chief Sam Mendu, the chairman, Board of Trustees, Ogbaru Main Market has urged the Anambra Government to ignore calls by a group asking for the conduct of by-election in the market.
Mendu made the call in an interview with newsmen in Ogbaru near Onitsha on Wednesday.
He spoke while reacting to a call by the Ogbaru Main Markets Elders Forum (OMMEF) which urged the state government to conduct a by-election into the office of the president of the market.
“First of all, we have no provision for Elder’s Forum in the constitution of Ogbaru market; it will also interest you to know that the purported leader of the forum is no longer a trader in the market.
“Article 9 sub-section 2 of Ogbaru Main Market Traders Association, Revised Constitution and by-laws, 2010, states that the decision of the Board of Trustees in any intra-association squabble in the market shall be final,” Mendu said.
The state government had suspended the President of the market, Chief Eugene Nwanekezie for misappropriating over N91 million revenue in the market.
Mendu, who described the group as “faceless”, said the call for by-election was not in tandem with the decision of the board members and the state government.
According to him, the first vice president, Mr Chinedu Ejezie had been asked to continue as Acting President.
“Following the misappropriation, Government only suspended the president, who has since commenced repayment of the money. He may be recalled after completing payment.
“Besides, Article 5 Section C sub-section 1 (a) states that the first vice president general shall assist the president and shall deputize for him in his absence.
“Even if an election will be conducted, it has to be in 2020 when the tenure of the current executive committee will expire,” he further explained.
Mendu warned the group to desist from inciting members of the market against the position of the market constitution, noting that the market leaders and state government would not hesitate to deal decisively with such individual.
The Elders’ Forum had in a statement signed by its chairman, Chief Marcel Nnadozie on Wednesday, urged the government to avert looming danger in the market by ordering by-election to replace the president.
The group cited Article 10 sub-section (i) of the market constitution which states that in the event of death, removal or resignation of any member of the Executive Committee, the vacancy shall be filled in any extra-ordinary meeting.
“In line with the above tradition, OMMEF wants the relevant authorities to set out a date in October 2018 to conduct the by-election, since the three months mandate given to Mr Chinedu Ejezie, would have elapsed by the end of September, 2018.”
Nnadozie said if their request was not acceded to by the end of Ejezie’s tenure, the entire traders in Ogbaru will embark on massive peaceful protest until their demand was met.
