By Chinwe Nwacha, Onitsha
Chief Humphrey Anuna, President General, PG, Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders' Association, ASMATA, hinted Friday, that traders in the State had an agreement with Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, that the State will be delivered to All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, during Saturday's election.
The ASMATA boss made this disclosure at the traders' secretariat, along Modebe road, Onitsha, while fielding questions from newsmen on his preparedness to get more votes for APGA House of Assembly candidates.
He commended the traders in the State for their support and efforts they made towards achieving victory for APGA and urged the residents of the State to come out en masse and vote for APGA candidates.
His words, "Soludo is working in Anambra State to better the living condition of the people but there are many oppositions to the good things he is doing.
"I am reminding us of our agreement with Governor Soludo that we will give 30/30 per cent in all the constituencies in Anambra State. That we will vote for APGA, kindly fulfill the promise. I also thank all the market chairmen for all their efforts in this election.
"We have gained a lot from Soludo within just short stay, one year in office. For some people who are saying that Soludo has killed them with levies and taxes in Anambra state, I want to assure everybody that Anambra State is not even paying any levies compared with places like Lagos, Abia state is #49,000, Ebonyi state -#33,000, Enugu -#49000, Imo State -#50,000, and Lagos -#70,000, per year, to their State Governments while Anambra state is paying #12,200, to her State Government.
"This amount has been there right from when Peter Obi, was the Governor, if you are doubting me , go and verify. Again, everything Soludo has done in Anambra State favours mostly we, traders, especially on security. We all knew how Anambra was two years ago, but he came and chased both the criminals and touts away, especially from Upper iweka to Head bridge.
"He banned collection of levies from barrow pushers, petty traders like hawkers and even vulcanizers and people are still saying the governor is not working. He even introduced one Youth two skills initiative for all the unemployed youths which he will give them free training after which he will give them #1million to start up their own business.
"On fire disaster in market, he called all the market leaders to organise their commanders for free training on fire disaster in the market, yet some fake people start posting where there is fire disaster in Ogbaru market which is fake, just to criticize our Governor.
"Go to 21 L G.As, all the roads there were flagged off and now work has commenced on each and every one of them. There is nothing like traffic jam in Anambra state, now. He removed IGR in Anambra state. In this coming election, come out en mass and vote for APGA because traders are more populated and I plead to them to vote for APGA," he posited.
Chief Anuna reminded the traders that the Government pledged to partner with them and wondered why they should not vote for him by casting their votes for APGA candidates.
He condemned the destruction of properties in the name of politics by suspected political thugs in Nnewi and urged traders affected to calm down as the case would be looked into in no distant time.