By PETER ANOSIKE

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nelson Ahamefula Akuma, has condemned the manner Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, handled the issue of sit-at-home by the traders at the popular Onitsha Main Market.

According to him, instead of handling the issue like a diplomat, Governor Soludo came across as a dictator by shutting down the market for a week.

He said that even though sit-at-home is doing a lot of harm to the economy of the South-East, opening of one’s shop is optional and never mandatory.

Akuma said the traders at the market are not Anambra State civil servants who the governor could command any way he likes.

Speaking further, he said that instead of ordering the immediate closure of the market, the governor would have first held a meeting with the market heads.

According to Akuma, “You cannot close a market and then turn around to schedule a meeting to resolve the issue.”

He said that the main reason why sit-at-home persists in the South-East is because of lack of confidence in the governors.

The ADC chieftain observed that governors are moving about in bullet proof vehicles and telling the masses to defy the sit-at-home order by Biafra separatists.

His words: “I am not an advocate of the sit-at-home exercise which no doubt has eaten deep into the economy of the South-East as billions of naira are being lost whenever it happens. However, the way and manner the Governor of Anambra State went to close down the popular Onitsha Main Market does not show leadership. In fact, the action was very punitive.”

“To start with, the traders are not civil servants under the pay role of the governor. They are private business owners and as such has the right to decide when to open their businesses and when not to open. There is no section of the constitution that mandates traders when to open and when not to open. Another thing is that the traders comply with this sit at home not because they like it but to save their lives and businesses because government is not guaranteeing the security of their lives and businesses. So coming out when their security is not assured is like committing suicide,” Akuma said.

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