By Priscillia Eke
Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Umahi, on Thursday, ordered for the resealing of the Abakpa Main Market, Abakaliki, pending when the crisis between the state government and the traders will be resolved permanently.
He maintained said that the market would remain resealed until the traders withdrew the petition filed against the state from the court, adding that activities of the traders must be organized in order to bring orderliness there.
Gov Umahi gave this order at Governor’s Lodge, Government House Abakaliki, during a meeting with traders.
According to him, the traders were directed to move to the Margaret Umahi International Market Abakaliki, where enough space had been provided for them but from his observations, the traders are reluctant to move.
He equally disclosed that the Abakpa Main Market (the contentious market) would now be designated as the Ebonyi State Fruits and Vegetable Market, adding that the October 15, 2019, deadline for the marketers’ relocation to the International Market, had been shifted to January 10, 2020.
READ ALSO: Governor Umahi Calls On Nigerians To Stop Relying On Oil Economy And Embrace Agriculture.
In his words: ” All the shops that were sealed before should be sealed back today before 2oclock, seal also the shops of those that took us to court in building material.
” Anybody that wants to bring in politics into this thing, I am equal to the task. Some of you went to social media and write all kinds of rubbish that you wouldn’t have voted for me,this matter is at a time i don’t need your vote again if you want to put it that way.
” I am going to move the date of the relocation of the market to 10th of January 2020 to honor CAN, but CAN i must get an agreement from all of them. Anybody that is a market person that dose not sign this agreement individually must leave by 10th.”
Meanwhile, the traders have asked the state’s High Court, presided by Justice Anselem Nwaigwe, to restrain the state government or its agents from disrupting business activities in the market.
The traders in their motion, also, prayed the court not to allow the event of August 28, 2019 where suspected agents working for the state government invaded the market and sealed up some shops, until the determination of the motion on notice, was given.
Counsel to the traders, Anthony Ani (SAN), who filled the ex-parte motion in support of the original suit No. HAB/124 /2019 between the two parties, told the court that the action was necessary in order to to forestall a possible clash between the marketers and the state government’s agents.
He also stated that it was in pursuant to order 3, rule 2(4) (A) and (B) and order 39 rule 3(1) and 2, High Court (civil procedure) rules of Ebonyi State, 2008 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the honorable court.
According to Ani, “In total disregards to the Principle of lis pendis, the defendant on 28th Aug. 2019 through it’s servants, staff, officers, surrogates, agents, privies, contractors, appointees or persons acting on its behalf, instructions or directives, went into the Abakpa Main Market in dispute and started doing the acts being sought to be restrained in the motion on noticed served on it and in so doing injured and purportedly sealed some shops belonging to the plaintiffs.”
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