By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Traders from Ogbogwu Bridge-Head, Onitsha, Anambra State, numbering over five hundred have protested against using caretaker to run affairs of their union and urged governor Willie Obiano to conduct elections for them within one week.
The protesters who went to streets of Awka and Onistha to register their grievances noted that they would support whoever emerges winner of the election to pilot their affairs.
Addressing the newsmen, Mr Leo Ezevuo, who led the aggrieved traders to Awka on Tuesday, argued that their affairs and welfares would be best taken care of if on the hands of elected officers than caretaker.
Ezevuo, while presenting their position to the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Ike Samuel Chinedu, recalled that the poll had been scheduled about six times on 2020, 2021 and February 2022 but were all cancelled for no just course.
"The atmosphere at Onitsha is very intense. But we have been calming our members to remain law abiding. Traders at Ogbogwu are very peaceful. All we want is a peaceful election.
"We will support whoever emerges at the end of day. For the past five years our elections have been constantly rescheduled. We are pleading for our governor to intervene now to save us. We don't want caretaker again," Ezevuo stated.
Addressing the protesters, the Permanent Secretary, Anambra State Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Mr Ike Samuel Chinedu, urged the traders to remain law abiding, assuring that their grievances would be carefully looked into and reacted upon after been presented to the Commissioner for the ministry, Chief Uche Okafor.