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Newly elected President of Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association (ASPMDA), Lagos International Trade Fair complex, James Umeji, yesterday, took oath of office for the first four-year tenure.
ASPMDA is the largest auto spare parts market in Sub-Saharan Africa and hosts over 10,000 business operators, including banks and other service providers.
In his acceptance speech, shortly after being sworn in by a team of lawyers, Umeji thanked God for a successful general election in the complex and the Lagos State Governor, Babjide Sanwo-Olu, for his intervention which ushered in an interim government headed by former president, Tony Ughagwu, who conducted the election.
Umeji said: “Any member of ASPMDA who has good idea to offer from any quarter will be happily accepted. Under my leadership, the manifestos of ASPMDA Unity Party (AUM) would be followed and nobody would be denied his or her rights as the unity of ASPMDA would be prioritised above political leanings.”
He assured to run “a new ASPMDA leadership anchored on true democratic process,” and announced that “everything being equal, with the windfall (from ASPMDA Hall 2), my government would run the affairs of the association with the money without demanding any extra fee or taxation from lockup shops and offices during our tenure of first four years.”
Earlier in an interview, former two-time ASMPDA president, Ughagwu, who was appointed by the state governor to conduct election within 45 days, told newsmen that his inspiration to achieve the successful election came from God and his conscience.
Majority of traders, who spoke to newsmen on the new government, described it as God-sent to rescue ASPMDA and prayed for its success.
Dignitaries that graced the occasion included Eze-Ndigbo Lagos, leaders of other trading plazas in the complex and acting Chief Executive Officer of the Trade Fair Management Board, Francis Dajilalk.
