Worried and tired over the protracted crisis that has kept the Rumuwoji Mile One Market traders, Diobu on their toes for many years despite concerted efforts by stakeholders, the Elders Advisory Committee (EAC) of the market has made up its mind to confront their common enemies this time around if the market/union must move forward.
Briefing the press over the weekend, the chairman of the committee, High Chief Stainless Iheanyichukwu Emenike (JP) (Akunesiobike I of Dikenafai) Imo State and Mrs. Kate Akor, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Women Leader in the market and Elders Forum member jointly said those causing unnecessary trouble in the market must be stopped permanently this time around.
“These people don’t have any other business that to cause problem and then force some gullible traders to keep on contributing for eternity on the crisis while they feed fat on it”.
They mentioned some of these names to include, Mrs. Blessing Oluchi Paul, the treasurer of the current executives who has been mobilizing against the dissolution of her own Exco for selfish reason.
The duo also mentioned the likes of Chief Y.O.C Georgewill and Mr. Daniel Iheme and Mr. Kenneth Eze, three former leaders in the market whom they said have refused to be under anybody but constantly holding nocturnal meetings to topple any leadership that does not have their blessings for selfish interest.
The Elders Forum also mentioned some other persons from the Rumuwoji Community who are bent on ensuring that the market do not enjoy peace to include Mrs. Golda O. Nsiegbe, (a chairmanship aspirant) Mr. Umunnakwe Wobo, former councilllor in PHALGA, Mr. Jude Onuoha (secretary), Mr. Emmanuel Orji and Mr. Chinda Maxwell.
Mrs. Akor in her submission while thanking the Mayor of Port Harcourt, Hon. Victor Nyeche Ihunwo for his magnanimity of conducting a credible election for the market, urged him to please use his good offices to permanently keep these troublemakers in the cooler for the traders to enjoy some peace.
According to her, “those people are always in the habit of coming to collect one form of levy or the other promising to either pursue one case or the other/to allocate shops to gullible traders.
Chief Emenike said some of them are out-rightly scheming for the dissolution of the just elected Exco for no just cause but to plant their surrogates.
He however made it clear that no amount of propaganda will remove the elected Exco and that there is nowhere a non trader will be imposed on the Rumuwoji Mile one traders as a chairman.
“Be the person a labourer or wheelbarrow pusher, as long as the person is in the market and is willing to contest, we shall give him/her our votes to lead us”.
Mrs. Akor recalled that when the traders were in the batchers before it was burnt down, they record more sale, unlike now they are operating in the block house and so don’t have much to spend carelessly.
“Our constitution state that elected officers will stay for two (2) years and there is nothing anybody can do until the current Exco’s tenure expires, no amount of conspiracy or plots can remove them from office, instead we should support and encourage them to succeed,” she declared.
Chief Emenike recalled how the Mile One Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Hassan Yahaya had cautioned the trouble shooters and specifically asked the so called Board of Trustees (BoT) members of the market led by Mr. Daniel Iheme to hand over the union’s property to the new executives and desist from causing crisis in the market, but almost one month after, those concerned are yet to complied and are still parading themselves.
The Elder advisory Committee warned that the above mentioned persons risk arrest should they continue to cause a breach of public peace.
