Emma Elekwa
National Chairman, Omabala Union, Dr Chike Obidigbo has said that Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has the responsibility of protecting lives, property and economic future of the state as the chief security and economic officer of the state.
He said the Governor has the sole responsibility to ensure that there is absolute peace, progress and all-round development of the state.
Addressing newsmen in Awka on the ongoing demolition and remodeling of Onitsha Main Market by the Governor, Obidigbo said the situation did not require maximum application of force but dialogue.
“Sometimes, he takes a decision, and policies which the people may likely misunderstand, and when they misunderstand it, they blame him.
“It was not long ago, the Governor went to Onitsha, and told them to stop with immediate effect the controversial Monday sit-at-home in the state which has been going on in the state for couple of years now.
“And because they did not give him that hundred percent compliance, he decided to deal with them in the language they will understand better by first of all, extending the number of holidays they should have.
No need for force
“The situation is not something that required maximum application of force. Rather it is something he should dialogue with the people.
Obidigbo, an elder statesman explained that when someone is a leader, especially a Governor of a State, he owes total responsibility to the people and should work towards providing their needs, not to taking away their hard-earned livelihood from them.
“So, I did not feel comfortable with that at all, the Governor’s actions had lot of devastating implications on the state because a lot of young people of the State who are into trade, and commerce are running away from Anambra State.
“If you go to Asaba, Lagos, Kano, and even abroad, our youths are running away, and then again, we now turn around to start taking actions, and putting measures in place that will further chase away some of them that decided to remain, and do their business in the State.
Obidigbo was of the opinion that when such thing starts happening that it will heavily affect the economy of the state, adding that the Governor had assured that the demolition will be in phases, stating that this is the wrong time to do it.
