By Tobias Ekirika
The leaders of effected market closure on 27th January had a closed door meeting at Onitsha main market Secretariat (White House)on a way forward and resolved to meet with the governor to plead with him forgiveness and Traders at the Onitsha Main Market and for Mr governor to reopen the market.
It would be recalled that governor Soludo on Monday 25th January shut down the popular Onitsha main market for observing sit-at-home against the directive of the governor Who had earlier directed that all markets in the state should be open for business.
The meeting was well attended by the executives of the concerned markets and stakeholders who expressed optimism that the governor will give them a listening ear.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, the chairman of Onitsha main market Chief Chijioke Okpalaugo, said, that a letter has been written on that effect and that they are going to see him, Mr governor for appeal to him for forgiveness.
His words “We have just finished the meeting now, we appeal to him to consider reopening the markets .We are losing a lot because of the Monday sit-at-home. We Onitsha market traders resolved to see the governor within the week and plead for forgiveness.
“Soludo is a progressive minded governor and his decision is welcomed because we are losing what we are supposed to be getting because of Monday sit-at-home. He loves his people, his decision is a nice one because he took it at the right time.
“What he means is to push us to stop observing the Monday sit-at-home exercise and he has done that. Some people want to hijack the situation via embarking on illegal protest.
“We urge him to reopen the market before Monday. I am not aware of any protest they said was going on against the closure of the markets, they are miscreants.
“Government officials came to us earlier, last Monday and told us to reopen or the markets will be shut, and the governor has shut the Main Market and other adjoining markets,” Okpalaugo stated.
"We are going to open our market for business activities every day including Mondays. It is even for our own good he concluded".