Leadership crisis engulfed many major markets across Abia State following the state government’s suspension of the planned inauguration of caretaker committees for the various markets scheduled on Thursday, June 22, 2023.
New Telegraph had on Wednesday reported that Dr Chimezie Ukaegbu, the Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Trade and Commerce announced the suspension of any inauguration and withdrawal of the newly appointed management committee members in Aba and Umuahia citing no reasons.
The statement reads, “This is to inform the general public and, particularly, the various market groups in Aba and Umuahia, that the planned inauguration of the newly appointed Management Committee Members for markets, scheduled for Thursday, June 22, 2023, is hereby suspended.
“Government also by this notice, withdraws the list of those earlier appointed into the Management Committees of the various markets. A new date for the inauguration will be announced in due course.”
However, a worrisome communication gulf among some government organs, officials and a fierce leadership tussle among major stakeholders at the respective markets may have been at the root of the stalemate
As gathered by New Telegraph, some entrenched interests it has been revealed are not comfortable with the composition of the various markets committees.
Complaints of marginalization and alleged appointments of suspected People Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition parties loyalists, ahead of Labour Party (LP) sympathizers took over the space.
Some disenchanted traders under the aegis of Ariaria Market Youth Traders staged a protest march to the constituency office of the member representing Aba North/South Federal constituency at the National Assembly Chief Emeka Nnamani on the market leadership crisis.
They demanded among other things, government rejection of the composition of the various markets committees, because they are majorly populated by those who allegedly tried to compromise the integrity of the last general elections.
Specifically, the protesters accused the Chairman of the 17-member committee of the Ariaria International Market Chief John Anyakaeme and a few other members of being behind the intimidation of voters during the gubernatorial election, wondering how he could be rewarded by Otti for his alleged acts.
However, findings by New Telegraph during an investigation appear to suggest that struggle by various groupings for leadership positions may have been at the centre of the spate of accusations and counter-accusations.
Sources from the market revealed that Chief Anyakaeme until the eve of the planned June 22, inauguration refused to accept the job of heading the Ariaria Committee.
Several impeccable sources told our correspondent that some people appointed were so uncomfortable with the appointment and its pressure, so much so that they initially resisted and turned down heavy pressure from friends and relations to accept the offer to the bewilderment of some government officials.
“This is an office before now, people lobby and even go to extreme ends to get. Yet someone)some people who I know until a day before the inauguration was not ready to accept the office are being blackmailed by some desperate people.
“The truth of the situation on the ground is that some people who lobbied for and or thought that they will be selected as committee members are disappointed and have resorted to blackmailing those of them that made the list.
“How can people be calling traders Party members, when we as traders our job is to work with the government of the day for the benefit of traders and the markets?
“When Oti came to the markets to campaign, he was received well just as other contestants. During the elections, he knows that many across party lines supported him. The gates of the markets were not closed to him.
“So our advice to him is that he should muster the political will and act in line with the interests of Abians and forget about all these distracting talks about LP, PDP, and APC members.
“His support base cut across party lines, and what he should do is to gather all those capable of doing the job irrespective of perceived party affiliations,” a source said.
Some sources revealed to our correspondent that a breeding power and interests tussle within the government appears to be also driving the disagreement.
The sources pointed to a serious communication gap between the office of the Deputy Governor, Engr Ikechukwu Emetu and some forces close to the Governor, which resulted in the emergence of conflicting lists of committee members.
