Open Letter: Onitsha Bridgehead Market Traders Write Gov. Obi

Governor Peter Obi Of Anambra State

His Excellency,
Mr. Peter Obi,
The Executive Governor,
Anambra state.

Dear Sir,

RE:AN INORDINATE AMBITION OF CHIEF EMEKA ILLONZE TO IMPOSE HIMSELF ON THE TRADERS OF THE BRIDGE-HEAD MARKET TRADERS ASSOCIATION AGAINST THE WISHES OF TRADERS AND THREAT TO THE PEACE AND SECURITY OF THE BRIDGE-HEAD MARKET.

Compliment of the season to your Excellency,

We, the Concerned Stake Holders of Bridge-head Traders Association wish you, a happy new year.

We are a diverse group, drawn from the different Associations which make up the Bridge-head Market Traders Association and have been brought together by our revulsion at the ills being perpetrated by Chief Emeka Ilonze and his obnoxious, selfish and primitive manner of running the affairs of the Association.

Chief  Emeka Ilonze was voted into office on 21^st day of January 2009 on a constitution which stipulated adequate guidelines and the number of registered unions which is 28 Unions with special emphasis on the number of delegates each union will accredit for voting.

The said Chief Emeka Ilonze, maddened by an inordinate desire to bring himself back to power despite the fact that his candidature is tainted with corruption, embezzlement of union funds and nepotism of the highest order, has amended the constitution unlawfully to expressly guarantee his re-election by carving out more union from existing union and despite the fact that the creation of these unions is subject to litigation in various Court in Onitsha Judicial Division, he has gone ahead to accredit delegates from the newly formed unions.

As if that is not enough, in the amended constitution, the said Chief Ilonze has also clandestinely instituted a board of Trustees for the Bridge-head Market Traders Association Onitsha and in a mode filled with bad intentions made himself the chairman of the said board of Trustees and has also inserted contrary to all known norms that the Trustees be entitled to monthly remuneration. It is also worthy of note to state that the amendment of the constitution was shrouded in absolute secrecy, using his acolytes from the illegal newly carved out unions to act out his script in support.

In essence, he has created a body that will check his administration and has made himself a member of that body and the paymaster of the body by being both the president general and chairman board of Trustees of the same Association. (A man making himself a judge in his own case) As  the elections of 19^th day of January 2013 draws close, Chief Emeka Ilonze ought to have relinquished his office to enable the electoral body do their work but by remaining in power to supervise his own re-election, the outcome can already be predicted. We also hear complaints from the aspirants that receipts of payment for the forms of intent are not being issued to them, there by setting the stage for an embezzlement of the funds to be realized.

We can go on with the iniquities being perpetrated. But we shall at this juncture plead that you use your good offices to wade into this matter with a view to Sanitizing the bridge-head market and ensuring that the right and honest candidate is voted into office, we ask too that Chief Emeka Ilonze be called to order and his illegally formed unions abrogated and he be ordered to give a financial account of his stewardship and be stopped from contesting this election in his capacity as the chairman of the board of Trustees.

Long Live Anambra State!!!

Yours faithfully,

PATRICK EZEAMA                                                              EBUKA UGONNA

(CHAIRMAN)                                                                       (SECRETARY)

CC: AREA COMMANDER (ONITSHA AREA COMMAND)

        THE DPO FEGGE POLICE STATION ONITSHA,

        THE DIRECTOR SSS (ANAMBRA STATE)