Anambra market BoT chairman denies locking up hall, as Crisis deepens

By Phil Okose, Onitsha

The chairman, Board of Trustees, (BoT), New Auto Spare parts market Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government area, Anambra State, Paul Emerah, weekend reacted by denying to the allegation that he was responsible for the locking up of the market chairman, Obiora Ofole and his executives at the market hall during their meeting.

He described the allegation as false, frivolous and a figment of their own imagination stating that there is no proof to substantiate their claim as he was not physically there let alone locking them up.

Emerah accused Ofole of conspiracy with the Ogidi Divisional Police Officer, (DPO), Frank Amobi, and Agunechemba security outfit to illegally harass, insult and intimidate him stating that the duo of Ofole and DPO Amobi, should be held responsible for anything that happens to him.

His words, “let Ofole and his cohorts show proof that I was the one that locked them up. Let him produce picture or anything that shows my presence. This is just a self imposed lock up by Ofole who directed his thugs to lock up the hall door to claim that I was the one that did it in a bid to tarnish my image I built over the years.

“Ofole conspired with the Ogidi DPO, Frank Amobi, DPO sent his men to come and arrest me that I was the one that locked the shop when they don’t have proof. I told the police that if you want to invite me you use Police letter headed paper not  a piece of paper.

“Let me say it loud and clear that if anything happens to me Ofole and Ogidi DPO, Frank Amobi should be held responsible and I am going to take this serious because it has to do with life.

” Ofole failed in his plan because he has no proof to show that I was even there. In the past during meetings he will not even tell me that is the market BoT chairman, that is suppose to be at the helm of affairs. 

He is even new in the market. I made him the caretaker chairman. He was nobody, He was not in the market when we moved from. Moore street Onitsha to this present location.

“Within the period I was sick he dumped our market agreement and hijacked the market and started constructing shops outside the agreement with the landlords and shop owners

“The former elected executives of the market ignored the long-standing agreement with the BoT and this development forced us and other traders, including the present  caretaker Chairman, .

ofole to sue them to court and subsequently got a favourable Judegment from the Asaba Appeal court declaring the Landlord and Shop owners as the legitimate owners of any structure to be constructed on top of their existing shops or buildings. 

“I was surprised when Ofole made a U-turn to start building the shops without my consent and other traders on top of some of the shops against the ruling of the court .

“I want to advise some misguided persons in high places of Government to withdraw the tacit support they are giving to Ofole and allow the rule of law and wishes of majority of the stakeholders and traders in the market to prevail for the sake of peace and preservation of equal rights and Justice in the market” he pleaded..

Ofole had while reacting to his lock up with his executives said that it was learnt upon investigation and eye witnesses’ report that the door was locked by Emerah and described the action as an act of attempted murder.

“The experience was traumatizing and disrupted a very important meeting at the expense of the growth and development of the market and  traders at large,” Ofole stated