Admin l Saturday, October 30, 2021
ONITSHA, Anambra, Nigeria – The former Vice President at Ogbaru Main Market near Onitsha,Mr Chinedu Ejezie, has denied the report that flood destroyed shops at the market. An online newspaper had attributed a published report titled “Traders groan as flood destroys 100 shops worth N100m in Anambra market’ to Ejezie.
Ejezie while denying the report told journalists in Ogbaru , that the report was fabricated to tarnish his image.
“There was never a time I was interviewed where I said flood destroyed the market; the effort of those who purported the report is to tarnish my image before the present caretaker committee in the market led by Chief Ndubuisi Ochuogu.
“The first job Ochuogu executed was to de-still drainages which he has carried out regularly to prevent flood. We have not recorded any flood inside the market since January this year when they committee came on board, so I wonder why anyone would peddle such rumour in my name,” he said.
Ejezie further said “I challenge the reporter of the fake news to confront or challenge me that I granted the said interview for the report,”
According to him, the purported report was fabricated to reduce his chances of re-contesting the position of the vice president of the market union for a second term which is scheduled to hold before December.
“I am surprised that the only thing my slanderers could say is to attribute flood report in the market to my name. I urge them to table serious issues that would bring about the development of the market in the market and not this mere campaign of calumny,” he added.
Also speaking, the caretaker chairman of the market, Chief Ndubuisi Ochuogu corroborated Ejezie’s assertion and said there was no flood recorded in the market which led to the destruction of shops.
“See the tipper drivers, who we pay between N80,000 and N120,000 regularly for each trip to clear debris from the drainages. We currently do not have any heap of refuse or debris in the drainages that would cause flooding in the market,” he said .
