By Madu Madu
Anambra State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr. Obinna Ngonadi; the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Sylvia Ifemeje; and President General of Anambra State Amalgamated Traders Association (AMATA), Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu, would likely face court contempt.
Others in the case included an Incorporated Trustees of Electronic Dealers Association, Onitsha (EDAO) and President General of EDAO; chairman EDAO, Ifeanyi Egwuene, vice chairman Chijioke Okeke , secretary Chinedu Okeke, assistant secretary Chidubem Okoye, financial Secretary ,Chinedu Oguonu, Treasurer ,David Agwunobi, PRO Ikechukwu Matthew, Provost Ozioma Odokwu,member Chidubem Ehirim, Pascal izunegbu and Nicholas Ikechukwu.
It would be recalled that an Anambra State High Court siting in Atani, Ogbaru, on August 5, 2022 issued form 48 notice of consequences of disobedience order of court to above persons, which stated that " take notice that unless you obey the direction contained in this order you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison."
The court had on 5th day of July 2022, in a motion ex- parte filed by Christgonus Obi where he prayed that the court should not allowed the respondents - attorney general of the state, commissioner for commence and industry and others to constitute caretakers committee in EDAO.
The court ordered that parties should maintain status quo pending the determination of the suit but on 29th July 2022,the commissioner for commence and industry inaugurated an 11-man caretakers committee for the market.
Briefing Journalists in Onitsha, Mr. Bonny Nze said that it is sad that the state government chose to create crisis in the market by constituting caretakers committee.
According to Nze who is one of the aspirants to the post of secretary in the Market, government has no right to interfere because it is a private market, rather government should only concern itself with collecting levies and maintaining of peace.
He said that the action of government disobeying court order and constituting a caretakers committee was highly undemocratic.
"We met and agreed to hold our general election because the tenure of outgoing executives has expired, and we usually conduct election every four years.
"But after setting up electoral committee, we were suddenly told that election cannot be held. This is why some of us approached court and got an order restraining government and its agent from constituting caretakers committee pending the determination of the suit.
"Notices were served , unfortunately the commissioner for commence and industry and the attorney general of the state went ahead and constituted caretakers committee, in defiance of court order of maintaining status quo.
"Setting up a caretakers committee in the market is against the court order and the constitution of the union which makes no provision for such. So, it is unfortunate that this is happening in Anambra state in a democratic era" he said.
Nze called for the intervention of Governor Charles Soludo to ensure amicable resolutions and avert breakdown of law and order in the market.
"Nobody in the market is happy with the imposition of the caretaker committee, therefore, we demand that election be conducted in the market.
"We appealed to Soludo to allow us conduct our election and choose who leads us in the market," he said.
Also speaking, another aspirant for the post of assistant financial Secretary, Chinedu P.Njoku said the tenure of the executive had expired and what they needed was an election and not caretakers committee.