Explain Your Agenda On Onitsha Main Market To Ndigbo, Dr Obidigbo Tells Gov Soludo

Explain Your Agenda On Onitsha Main Market To Ndigbo, Dr.Obidibo Tells Gov Soludo

Awka: Obiorah Anthony Ugwonwa.

The National Chairman, Omabala Union, Dr Chike Obidigbo, (Osisioma Igbo), says Anambra State Governor , Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo as the chief security ,and economic officer of the state has the responsibility of protecting lives, property and economic future of the state 

Dr. Obidigbo, who was speaking with Newsmen in Awka over the weekend on the   on going demolition and remodeling of Onitsha Main Market by Governor Soludo, said that the Governor has the sole responsibility to ensure that there is absolute peace, progress ,and all round development of the state.

"But sometimes, he takes a decision, and policies which the people may likely misunderstand, and when they misunderstand it, they blame him", he said. 

He observed that it was not long ago, the Governor went to Onitsha, and told them to stop with immediate effect the controversial Monday sit- at -home in the state which according to him, had been going on in the state for   couple of years now. 

"And because they did not give him that hundred percent compliance, he decided to deal with them in the language they will  understand better by first of all , extending the number of holidays they should have . "

Dr. Obidigbo, who is an  Elder Stateman in Anambra State, noted that the situation was not something that required maximum application of force , arguing that rather it is something he should dialogue with the people. 

He  explained that when someone is a leader , especially a Governor of a State,  he owe total responsibility to the people and should work towards providing  their needs, not to taking  away their hard earned livelihood from them. 

" So , I did not feel comfortable with that  at all , the Governor's actions had lot of devastating implications on the state because a lot of young people of the State who are into trade ,and commerce are running away from Anambra State. 

" If you go to Asaba, Lagos, Kano , and even abroad, our youths are running away, and then again , we now turn around to start taking actions , and putting measures in place that will further chase away some of them that decided to remain , and do their business in the State.

Dr Obidigbo, also a renowned Social Commentator, was of the opinion that when such  thing starts happening that it will heavily affect the economy of the state, adding that the Governor had assured that the demolition will be in phases ,  stating that this is the wrong time to do it.

" Even if it is mild ,or  whatever situation ,it is very wrong timing to start doing any form of demolition, especially within that Onitsha Main Market area, because the interpretation will be  that he is carrying out the threat he made against the traders because of the Monday sit -at - home saga, therefore, he choses to  close down or destroy the Market ", Obidigbo pointed out .

"But it might not be the impression, but he had done that, and again, he also gave the impression that this was a decision that was taken elsewhere in the country against the traders ,  only for him to come back home , and  start implementing  such a decision. It is not fair.

 Also ,it is not possible to regain the lost glory of the Market as he claimed, because you don't do it by destroying people's livelihood. For you to do it  ,you should have a serious meeting with the traders ,and Ndi-Anambra as well ,not only with the  people in  the market ,but the people of Anambra State to let them understand what he wants to do in the market."

According to him, Ndi-Anambra should debate it ,and decuss it ,and ensure that they understand what the Governor wants to do in the Market for them to support whatever thing he wants to do , so that people will feel being carried along with a view to getting things right ,adding that for now,  people are not feeling being carried along in whatever thing the Governor is doing in the Market.

"Whether it is for the good ,and betterment  of Ndi-Anambra, people  must misinterpret whatever he is doing there. So, as I told him before ,I said anything you are doing in the Market carry the people along ,let the people understand what you are doing ,not just the traders ,but the people of Anambra State, infact,the entire Ndigbo,let them understand what you want to do. 

" They said you want to do park, what is the importance of  that park to the market ,what impression are you giving, people are misunderstanding whatever thing you think you are doing,and they didn't see it as something that will benefit them."

Dr. Obidigbo, who  among  other things , enjoined Governor Soludo to let the people understand that whatever thing he is doing in the market is for their benefit, noting that if that is not the case , there will be  misinterpretation,and misinformation,which he said was not healthy for good governance to thrive.