The heavy deployment of police officers to the Balogun Lagos Trade Fair market was to maintain peace and order in the market, ahead of the June 28 elections of new executives, the Caretaker Transition Committee (CTC) has said.
Mr Leo Ogbonna, CTC Secretary in charge of the market’s administration, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the presence of the police since Friday was at the instance of the CTC to prevent any possible breakdown of law and order.
NAN recalls that a Federal High Court, Abuja, had on Thursday granted the association’s application and its caretaker committee, led by Chief Anselm Dunu, to quash a purported decision of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to revoke the association’s Certificate of Registration.
The association’s application was for an order of certiorari, prohibition and injunction arising from a letter addressed by the CAC to some lawyers involved in the impasse.
The injunction granted on Thursday nullified the election conducted by the factional leadership group in the market.
Ogbonna, who spoke against the backdrop of the purported election organised by the dissident group at the Villa Park Hotel Amuwo Odofin on Thursday, said the election lacked legal backing. Therefore, its outcome was a nullity.
According to him, the invitation of security operatives was to forestall any misdemeanour or mischievous acts by the rebellious group capable of disrupting peace in the market.
“The operatives will be in the complex till the election is executed on June 28, and new executives installed. As a legitimate body, the CTC is in the business of conducting a credible election that will be seen to be acceptable by all.
“We are using this medium to ask the trading public to go about their businesses without panic as the operatives’ presence is not to harm anybody, but to ensure that mischief-makers, whose stock in trade is to create confusion and anxiety in the place do not succeed,” he said.
The committee’s scribe, who envisaged a peaceful transition and peace in the market, urged the traders to remain resolute in their committee’s support.
Ogbonna, who described the antics of the rebel group to disrupt the election as unbecoming, tasked the people to take ownership of the complex by coming out to vote for candidates of their choice on July 28.
He said logistics had been put in place by the CTC, which was enthroned since 5 Dec. 2020 by court order, after the erstwhile executive left office without conducting an election of new executives, to ensure that the election was held peacefully.
NAN reports that the international market, worth over N80 billion with no fewer than four million people earning a living from it, served the West African countries in merchandise, confectioneries, and toiletries.
The Balogun market leadership had been the subject of a protracted dispute, with traders yearning for an election of new executives to move it forward. (NAN)
