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Members of the Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association (ASPAMDA) Trade Fair, in Lagos, have appealed to the state government to intervene in the leadership crisis which has engulfed the market following inability of the interim executive to conduct election.
According to the Coalition of Political Parties in ASPAMDA (COPPIA), which comprises different unions in the market, on November 28, 2018, the Hgh Court of Lagos ordered the then president, Daniel Oforkansi, to vacate office, since his tenure had elapsed.
The ASPAMDA traders, who made the appeal during a press conference disclosed that instead of Oforkansi to vacate office and election organised within 30 days in accordance with the judgement of the court, he opted for appeal which was dismissed by the court.
The aggrieved traders said because of the refusal of Oforkansi to vacate office, members of ASPAMDA petitioned the governor of Lagos State, who intervened and appointed an interim executive led by Sunny Igboanuzue, with the directive to organise election.
But to their surprise and pain, the interim arrangement, failed as the administration has refused to conduct election and is threatening to stay in power for the next four years.
Chairman, ASPAMDA Alliance Congress (AAC), Nwafuribe Chukwudiegwu, said the market is alerting the Lagos State Government that the directive given to ASPAMDA interim executive to conduct election has been flouted with impunity.
Chukwudiegwu pointed out that because of the violation of the order, peàce has eluded the market, saying “we want government to come to our aide to avoid breakdown of law and order.
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“They took over July 20,2020 , more than a year now, up till now nothing has been done. We want the state, through the attorney general who gave the initial order, to remove them.”
Anosike Mark, vice chairman of the ASPAMDA Unity Movement (AUM) said the Attorney General of the State, having seen the impending danger had an interim arrangement, with Igboanuzue as the head, he was supposed to conduct election to usher in a new administration, “but we see on social media that he wants to remain in office. He said it is his birth right to stay for the next four years, that the presidency of the market was given to his geo-political zone. He is even threatening that any attempt to truncate his administration by members of the market will meet stiff resistance .
Mark noted that the elongation has brought disunity among the market unions and blocks, calling on the state government to rescue the situation.
“We want the election to hold so that the new leadership can start off immediately and can run our market in a peaceful atmosphere.
Chukwuemeka Nduka, AUM chairman lamented that the situation has affected businesses so much that insecurity has increased, customers now feel unsafe to come in and looting is now the order of the day.
“The interim government has caused disunity among the traders, they banned others from campaigning while they are campaigning underground. Government should save us.”
