By; VICTOR DURUAMAKU, Owerri
Angered by the spate of market demolition by the Imo State Government in recent times, over 1,000 market traders and artisans affected unanimously declared their membership of the United Progressive Party (UPP) in the state.
According to the traders, they felt disappointed by the actions of the state governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, whom they said they whole heartedly supported and voted in during the 2015 elections.
The traders and artisans said further that, they would make sure that any candidate under the political platform of All Progressive Congress (APC) and at the instance of governor Okorocha, looses at the election since the governor paid them back by demolishing their markets.
They lamented that the demolition has been extended to markets in the hinter land thereby rendering the traders useless, poor and idle.
However, speaking while receiving the traders into the party at the party office in Owerri, Tuesday, a prominent member of the National board of trustee of the party and senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) professor Francis C. Dike welcomed the traders, thanking them for resolving to join the party.
He said that the United Progressive party (UPP) is the only party that can fight for the cause of the Igbo nation, pointing out that, that was why the party produced the best candidate in the just held Anambra state governorship election, though the incumbent governor won the election.
Professor Dike believed that this time around every Igboman, should support UPP as his or her own party.
He urged the traders to ensure that the party’s presidential candidate wins the election in 2019.
Also speaking the chairman of all the chairmen of the party in the state, Engr. Benjamin Ehirim said that the traders have now known that they have an identity in Nigeria by joining the UPP.
According to him, as it is now, the Igbos are going into war in 2019, pointing out that it is not the war any other party but UPP will win for the Igboman.
He further said that UPP is not a party for greedy people but clean and transparent people.
