By Toby Chuks
Ahead of the 2025 governorship election in Anambra State, there is palpable danger for oppositions nursing the ambition to unseat the incumbent Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo such like Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, Val Ozigbo, Paul Chukwuma and others as traders in the commercial city of Onitsha yesterday sparked move to back Governor Soludo for a second term in office with inauguration of a chapter of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the Market
The trader who do their businesses at Ogbaru Main Market also known as Relief Market located in Okpoko at a Prayer section held inside the market yesterday declared their total support for Governor Soludo’s second term as according to them Soludo has done well enough in so many areas to remain at the government house in Awka for additional four years when his current tenure elapses in 2026.
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The Executive Chairman of the Market, Hon Ndubuisi Ochiogu told the gathering that the decision to back Soludo for a second term in office is stemmed from the fact that it is wrong to change a winning team adding that Soludo is doing marvellously well and the traders are more comfortable seeing him remain in office for another fours than to seeing another person who may even have no experience.
He added “we are at home with Soludo because he is doing well and I believe he will do more things before the end of his first tenure. That is why we have decided to back him for a second term. So in that regard we are floating a chapter of APGA in this Market led by Mr David Obidike as Coordinator to ensure we give APGA total support. We have seven polling booth in this market and all of them will be delivered to APGA”
Giving account of his stewardship at Ogbaru Main Market, the market leader said he has executed various development projects cutting across water supply project, power supply, fire service and more importantly enacted effectively security measures that have improved security of goods in the market noting that there was no means of water supply, no means of power supply, no fire extinguisher and traders were losing million of Naira of goods on weekly basis to thieves before he came on board.
Hear him, “I was duly elected under a democratic process in 2021, but some how along the line, former Commissioner of Trade and Commerce, Mr Obinna Ngonadi removed me and appointed caretaker committee to take up the mantle of leadership in the market but the traders revolted and said no on the basis that nobody can remove their Chairman whom they democratically elected, so Governor Soludo gave attention to the traders and reinstated me back as duly elected Chairman of Ogbaru Main Market and I moved into action immediately
“By moving into action I have 5 sunk bore holes in the market that are functioning 24hours, I have brought enough of fire extinguisher placed in all the lines in the market, I have enhanced power supply with solar light all over the market. Traders now load and off load good even in the night owning to availability of power. Again I have strengthened security measure to checkmate thieves. Before I came on board traders were losing up to N50million worth of goods on weekly basis to thieves but that has been stopped. More so I have erected public continence point where people can go and urinate”
Corroborating the Chairman, the Members representing Ogbaru 1 Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly Hon Noble Igwe admitted that Governor Soludo has fulfilled all the campaign promises he made for Okpoko within two years of his administration to the excitement of the residents and visitors adding that 2025 is a time for Okpoko residents to pay him back with his votes.
Hon Igwe observed that Okpoko which hitherto faced lack of Infrastructures and amenities owing to neglect from successive governments has received a face lift with access roads all over the place, a general hospital, crack security measures, good waste management system among other things by the current governor of the State Professor Soludo noting that Okpoko is now open for investors and commercial activities much more than ever
In his words, the Coordinator of the newly inaugurated chapter of APGA in the Market Mr David Obidike advised oppositions politicians eyeing the government house in 2025 to forget coming to Ogbaru Main Market for campaign because the Market has been declared for incumbent Governor Soludo. Highlights of the section is the award of Excellent service issued to the Hon Ochiogu by Ogbaru Local Government chapter of APGA, commissioning of the public convenience point and inauguration of APGA chapter in the market.
