Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Traders and aspirants have kicked against the modalities for election of market executives for the Onitsha Bridge-Head Drug Market, otherwise known as Ogbogwu International market urging the state government to put in place the right structures to ensure credible election.
Election of executives of the market is scheduled for April 16, but the lockdown over COVID-19 pandemic is already a threat to the proposed date. Some traders have raised concerns over guidelines put in place by the electoral committee saying it was designed to scare some candidates away and make room for an anointed candidate.
Chairmanship candidate from the Legacy Group, Ndubisi Chukwuleta, said the introduction of N250,000 as contestant form fee for the post of Chairmanship was outrageous and wasn’t applicable in elections into 63 other major markets in the state.
He said the interests of traders was to elect leaders who will ensure their welfare and maintain government and other regulatory agencies stipulated guidelines in the market in a transparent manner devoid of intimidation and harassment.
Another chairmanship candidate, Ugochukwu Nwosu, while also criticising the high cost of the application form appealed that a new election date be fixed after the expiration of the lockdown so that nobody will be disenfranchised during the election.