Traders at Ogbaru Relief (Main) market, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State have been directed to get registered in the ongoing Continuous Voters’ Registration (CVR) exercise slated to end on July 31.
Chairman of the market, Chief David Obidike, who gave the charge on Thursday warned that those who did not get theirs at the expiration date would be sanctioned.
He said market leadership has attracted officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the market, wondering what would still deprive some traders from getting registered.
According to him: “We will soon embark on ‘operation show your PVC’, in the market because your power to elect the candidates of your choice is the PVC.
“Go and get it now because Sunday is the last day for procuring it unless INEC will extend the time. Already, here in the market Secretariat, I brought the INEC officials and the exercise is on going.
“Eligible people are trooping in on daily basis to get registered, so why can’t you have your right to vote your choice.
“You will recall that Ogbaru market was among the 32 flawed markets in the State because the removed executive members connieved with the then Commissioner of Trade, Markets and Wealth Creation among others, to conduct flawed election.
“So let us avoid repeat of what happened in our market in this Nigerian general election, a stitch in time saves nine.
“If not for the intervention of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, through his Commissioner for Trade and Industry, Hon. Obinna Ngonadi, by now crises in the markets in the State would have caused bloodbath because of flawed election and overstay of members of caretaker committees who vowed to continue to be in the markets at the detriment of the majority of the traders.
“Governor Soludo is our saviour otherwise we would have remained in fear of the unknown as we have no say then. But today, since I came on board about a month now, nobody has reported any case of theft or burglary. Security is assured even if our market is surrounded by flash points.