Don’t Remove Paul Ikonne, Ariaria Traders Appeal to President Buhari

Traders at Ariaria International Market in Aba have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ignore the moves being made by one Chief Innocent Madumere calling for the removal of Paul Ikonne as the Executive Secretary of National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA).

In a statement signed by the Chairman of Ariaria Market Traders Association, Elder Emeka Igara, Monday, the traders stated that they are worried that the said Madumere who is unknown to the association is using its name to engage in partisan politics with sponsorship from well known political detractors in the state who did nothing for the traders while they occupied various high political offices.

According to him, “nobody authorized anyone to issue any statement on behalf of Ariaria traders and we do not want anyone to use our name to further his own private political interests. We have nothing against Prince Ikonne who has done a lot for us along with his father Eze I.O. Ikonne.

“In any case, we are happy with the President for his choice of a round peg in a round hole in a dedicated personality like Prince Ikonne against appointing those who have nothing to offer to Nigeria and the President.

“We will therefore resist any attempt by these unscrupulous politicians who have long lost political value in the State because of their infamous political voyage in the past, to harass or intimidate Prince Ikonne just to feather their own nests.

Continuing, the traders’ leader said, “There is no better Ambassador for the president in Abia State than Prince Ikonne and we make bold to state that many of those who support the President here are doing so because of the sterling qualities of few people like Prince Ikonne and his father, Eze Ikonne.