Lawyer and current affairs analyst, Maxwell Opara, describes Anambra Governor Soludo’s closure of Onitsha Main Market as “executive recklessness.”

Lawyer and Current Affairs Analyst, Maxwell Opara, in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, has stated that the decision of Governor Chukwuma Soludo to close down the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State, is an abuse of executive power.

Recall that Governor Soludo had announced the closure on Monday, after he observed that traders flaunted his orders to disregard the sit-at-home directive, and resume business every Monday.

Addressing the Governor’s decision to close down the market, Opara stated that it was an act of recklessness on the part of the governor.

“The actions of Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo in closing the market is executive recklessness and it is an abuse of power, and should be condemned.”

He further explained that the Governor has infringed on the traders’ rights as humans, by putting a stop to their private businesses.

“In the first instance, this thing is a private business. And they decide how, when, where, time to open and run their business. Now, nobody is coercing anybody in the market to sit at home. That is where the governor can come in. If there’s some people that are forcing people to close down their market and sit at home, that is where the governor can now come in. And the person forcing people to sit at home should be arrested. Now, if the market people on their own decide to sit at home on Mondays, that is their business. Onitsha market and so many shops there are people’s private properties. And they run their business with their money. So coming to lock it up because they refuse to open market on Mondays, I think it’s executive recklessness and the governor should be sued, and actions filed against the governor for taking such reckless decision.”

Opara noted that it behoves on the traders to report to appropriate authorities if anyone has asked them to sit at home while threatening their safety.

“If somebody issued an order asking you to sit at home with a threat, you should report to security agencies. And it left with security agencies to provide security for you, work with that intelligence, look at those who are issuing that order, and those who enforcing that order, and get them arrested and deal with them in line with the law”, he said.

Speaking on the effectiveness of Governor’s Soludo’s order to close down the market, Opara said, “how can it be effective? Go and see what is happening in Onitsha. You don’t give order and directives that cannot be complied with. The people have revolted now. Protest is going on in Anambra State now.”

Dr Opara, however advised that the best course of action for Governor Soludo is dialogue.

“All these things have to do with dialogue. If you want to stop it, you call the management, you appeal to them, you give them assurance. You talk to the banks in Anambra State, talk to other establishments there, telling them the reason why they should come out. It is dialogue, addressing them. Not for you to use executive power as if we’re in the military regime.”

Speaking on how the court might balance public order concerns against economic rights in the case of litigation, Dr Opara said, “you can see what is happening in civilized world. Trump will wake up in the morning, issue executive order, court will nullify it. You cannot give an order where you don’t have the right to give. You cannot tell me when to open my shop. It is gross violation of right. It is trespass. And it is actionable. There are plethora cases of trespass and violation of rights, and I’m calling on the traders to file action against the governor”.

Dr Opara also declared his support for IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, while also noting that Kanu’s release will put an end to the weekly sit-at-home order in Anambra State.

“I am a lawyer representing Nnamdi Kanu. The Igbos love Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Over 90 percent of the Igbo people have respect for him. Now the best way to handle all these issues is for the government to look for a way to release Nnamdi Kanu. These people love Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. You see what happened in the market today? The song they were singing, they were praising Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, even in the face of his trial, his persecution and detention. So let the governor meet with his fellow governors, they should meet the president, and the resident should order than Nnamdi Kanu be released.”

In his final remarks, Dr Opara reiterated that the best approach to solving the sit-at-home directive in Anambra State remains dialogue.

“Call the traders’ leaders, stakeholders, continue to talk to them, continue to dialogue with them. I’m telling you for free that majority of sit-at-home you are seeing in the Southeast, nobody is forcing them. Some people on their own say that it is what they will do to show their solidarity to agitation of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Forget about what government is telling you. So continue to tell them what you’re doing for Nnamdi Kanu to be released and they will listen to you. It is the only way to resolve this thing”, he concluded. (AriseNews TV, but headline reworked)