Opposition Group Stirs Trouble In Aguiyi Ironsi Market

By Frank Oshanugor

The Chairman, Aguiyi Ironsi International Market Traders Association, Ladipo, Mushin, Lagos State, Chief Chukwuma Onyebinanma, has raised concerns about a factional group’s alleged attempts to disrupt the market’s election.

Onyebinanma, popularly known as Ikukuoma, said the factional group had refused to buy into measures put in place by the leadership of the market to ensure the smooth running of the election and security in the market.

Rather the group led by Chief Kelechi Oputa, (a.k.a. babaooo), was alleged to be fabricating lies of violent attack, against Onyebinama, with a view to tarnishing his image and good will towards the development of the market.

It was gathered that to further champion its sinister motive, the opposition group in a petition written by Uchenna Eze, popularly called Baba Ido, addressed to Police accused the leadership of the Association of conspiring to disenfranchise them and manipulate the upcoming election.

The duo and one Izuchukwu Ikeuba ( Izunik)further alleged that the Onyebinama-led government imposed it on members of the association that only those with identity cards would be allowed entrance to attend meetings held by the association and to vote in the upcoming election.

However, the plans by policemen who were reportedly deceived by opposition faction, to whisk Onyebinama to Abuja, was truncated following an intervention of Police authorities who got wind of the plan and directed Onyebinanma to be allowed to report in Abuja at a convenient time.

Also, at the meeting between both parties and detectives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Abuja, the opposition group was told to comply with measures put in place to ensure peace and stability in the market.
Both parties were advised to go and settle the matter amicably, especially as election was around the corner.

Preliminary investigation into the matter also showed that allegation of injuries on some purported traders were false. While the opposition group showed video clip of a member of the Association’s Task force holding a cutlass, the authenticity of the allegation that it was used on one of the opposition group was questioned, following the group’s inability to provide full clip of the video showing what warranted such action.

Again, the video evidence was said not to have shown where the cutlass was used to harm anyone..
It was also gathered that a trader whose picture was displayed before the police as one of those injured during the August 18, 2024 alleged clash, had no business with the matter at hand.

When cocontacted Onyebinama clarified that the decision to use membership identity cards as a valid means of allowing members to vote was made to prevent harassment and intimidation. He explained that the association had agreed to have a database for the market of members who had been paying annual dues and receiving identity cards.

Chief Onyebinanma emphasized that only members with identity cards would be allowed to vote in the upcoming election, adding that rather than key into the decision reached by the association, the factional group had been trying to disrupt the meeting and had petitioned the police, leading to his detention and release.

According to him: “When my administration took over, it was agreed during the general meeting to have a database for the market because that was one area we have been having a problem. We did that in one month. Again, it was agreed during one of the meetings that we should adhere to the constitution, which states that what makes one a full member of the association is for one to pay their N200 monthly dues, which amounts to N2,400 annually. When we were debating if we should pay for identity cards or not, the general house said we should use the money from the annual dues to give members their identity cards.

In September 2023, I told members to pay their annual dues and get their identity cards. A grace of four months was given to members to pay, and they were told that whoever did not pay by January 2024 would not be allowed to attend the meeting of February 2024, which would be for only members of the association. Everyone was reminded from last year September to January, and by February, the meeting was held peacefully. So were those of the months of March, April, and May. There was no meeting in the month of June, but in July, as we were about to hold the meeting, we got information that our opposition held a meeting overnight to disorganize our meeting.

“I hinted the taskforce chairman not to allow anyone without an identity card into the meeting. After the meeting, I heard there was a problem outside the gate. I was told the opposition group stormed there, armed with dangerous objects. When they tried to empower our security and task force, one of the taskforce officials disarmed one of them and used the cutlass to scare them away.” He insisted that no member of the opposition was injured as alleged by the members. He added that the photograph of the reported man published was fabricated, saying “he (man in the picture) expressed surprise when he saw his picture in the newspaper (Punch).”

He added that he got an invitation from the CP Tactical unit in Surulere and the Intelligence Response Unit, Abuja, over an allegation of harassment and intimidation against him and some members of the association’s taskforce. However, the Police, according to him, told both sides to resolve their differences and allow peace to reign in the market.

Also throwing his weight behind the use of membership cards as a means to vote in the upcoming election, the immediate past Chairman of the association, Mr. Azuke Muogbo, said it was the only way to ensure a free and fair election. He said: “The reason for this whole issue is that the election is around the corner. It is a power tussle. They are fighting against the use of membership cards for election, whereas members of the association have agreed to use it, so as to ensure that only members vote on that day. During my predecessor’s tenure, we had a similar issue. Each election committee we constituted always complained about the need to have this card, which members are supposed to present on election day.”

“The Local Government Chairman also complained about the two years tenure in office. This made us amend our constitution, and the three-year tenure has been passed into law. The opposition agreed. But they don’t want to accept this membership card as a yardstick for voting. This is because during the election, contestants go round and get traders in Ladipo to cast their votes, and this has been a major problem.”

“Since there is a database, which means only members of this market will be allowed to vote. I don’t want to be partisan. I want to speak as a stakeholder; we want peace in the market, and because we want peace, let us use our membership cards to cast votes. If the present Chairman has done well and is voted by the people, let him go back for a second tenure, and if he has not, let the people decide who to rule them.

For us to get it right, idenity cards should be allowed to vote,” he stated.