Market closure: ‘Soludo should apologize to traders, Igbos for shutting Onitsha Main market – Achebe insists

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha

Irked by the alleged closure of Onitsha Main Market by Governor Chukwuma Soludo following the failure of the traders to stop observing the Monday sit-at-home exercise introduced by Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, the National President of a human rights organization, Human Dignity Restoration Association, (HDRA), Jude Achebe, said Soludo should apologise to the traders and Igbo nation.

According to the activist, the apology becomes necessary in view of the fact that the traders never owed the state government any dime or violated any known law like riot that would have resulted in the unexpected closure.

“I condemn in strong terms the action of the governor on the closure of Onitsha Main market that is the largest in West Africa. There are things you don’t have jurisdiction (power) to do. Everything has rules and regulations.

“You don’t have power over people you don’t pay. As long as people are not imposing  danger on anybody or state you don’t trample on their rights. You must have the heart of those people you are leading.

“You don’t bend your wish on them, they are not causing any trouble. When they call you, listen to them and solve their problem. It is unacceptable to shut the market, you should tender an unreserved apology to the traders, the Igbo nation and by extension the entire country because people come from outside Nigeria to transact business in the market.

 “Being a governor, you are not governing yourself, what you should tackle are those elements that forced them to stay at home.you can’t violate people’s right because you are a governor. We are trying to know how to stop the sit-at-home. Shutting down the market doesn’t happen in developed countries.

“Even in the Northern part of the country you can’t as a governor shut the market or they will chase you out of office. I never expected this from you, Governor Chukwuma Soludo. This is not a wise decision, you need to apologise,” Achebe insisted.