Except security agencies move in to restore sanity and the Imo State Government hearkens to the plea of car dealers in the state capital for them to return to Naze-Aba road for business, a possible breakdown of law and order is in the offing at their Avu, Owerri West location.
A protest by the dealers against a statement credited to Chief Rufus Osueke, who claims to be the BOT Chairman sparked off at the Avu location where the aggrieved persons threatened to raize down his structures in the place for allegedly going against the wish of the entire leadership and members of the car dealers association.
As at the time of filling this report, our reporter who was at the scene noticed that the traders incensed by the report carried in Trumpeta Tuesday edition which Osueke was quoted to have said in his capacity as BOT chairman that the car dealers are happy to remain in Avu, mobilized for protest against him.
Charged at the position of Osueke, the Car Dealers who spoke to Trumpeta described him as a saboteur working against the general interest of the businessmen in the Avu Car Dealers market.
Speaking on the issue, the chairman of the Owerri Car Dealer Association, Mr Epiphesus Amadi said that the leadership and members of the body disassociate themselves from Osueke’s position adding that apart from not representing their interest he has no locus to speak on their behalf on such issues.
Said he “it is wrong for Osueke to make such a statement. He is on his own as an individual and not our BOT chairman. Nobody made him BOT chairman in the first place. It was illegal for him to assume such position considering that he left the office four years ago. The car dealers association does not recognized him, therefore, his claims shouldn’t be reckoned with. He is on his own that is why the entire car dealers members are not happy with his statements”.
On the true position of things, Amad further gave a background of their predicament by stating that it was unfair for the immediate past government to vacate them from a better environment on Aba road to Avu, where the premises is not conducive for car sales.
According to the car dealers chairman “we are better off on Naze-Aba Owerri road than this location. This location has finished our businesses. Some of us are quitting the business and location due to lack of patronage.
“There is no form of security here, we suffer loses of car parts theft. It is wrong to bring car dealers market together with mechanics and spare parts dealers. Car business is like a showbiz where the environment helps to market it. Aba-road is better than here (Avu) and that is why we want to go back. In 2013, Okorocha gave us two hectares for international car market in Aba road. We were there and developed it until 2015 when Ihedioha during his campaign came and donated a transformer to us. On getting wind of Ihedioha’s donation, Okorocha arrived immediately and ordered that we should quit to Avu. The action of the immediate past governor was done in bad fate. Today our land is still on Aba road which we can relocate and develop too for business to thrive” he added.
