The recent purported election of Anambra State Markets Almagamated Traders’ Association (ASMATA), has been described as a ” monumental fraud”.
The Anambra State Market Elders’Forum (ASMEF) in a resolution after their meeting in Onitsha Friday categorically said that there was no election of the umbrella market body in the state, rather what happened was the extension of the tenure of the Caretaker Committee as earlier constituted be the government.
The group in the resolution signed by its chairman, Chief Uzor A Uzor, and other officers of the body said to conduct a credible election into the umbrella body of Anambra traders, representatives of about 64 markets in the must be present.
Unfortunately, in this case, they said, the election was shrouded in secrecy.
They said there was no notice of the election and people were not given opportunity to vote and voted for, saying that the entire exercise lacked basic ingredients of democracy.
But the Elders’Forum expressed shock that the Commissioner for Commerce and Market, Chief Okafor (Wiper) who has been in Government since Peter Obi’s regime was not only present in the election but was behind the fraud.
“That election was part of Obiano’ undemocratic disposition. There is no representatives of about 64 markets in the State.
They were just put there as the cronnies of the Governor and his wife to be extorting money from traders. The so called election was fraud.
And they want to replicate that same thing in all the markets in the State.
They had already tested the fraud at Bridgehead, UPJA , Tools and Allied in Bridgehead market including Building Material Market Ogidi among others.
They just want to create crisis in the markets in the state” said Elders’ Forum.
The Forum called for the immediate dissolution of the ASMATA executive and proper election to be conducted under the guidelines of Amalgamated Market Association of Anambra State Traders otherwise known as AMATAS.
The group therefore issued seven days ultimatum to the Anambra State Government to dissolve all executives that emerged from the purported fraudulent selection and immediately set up a proper Electoral Committee to conduct free, fair and credible elections in all the markets in the State.
But if they fail to do so and continue to impose on the traders of this State their next of kins they will face massive protests by the traders. Chief Uzor warned.
