Members of the Market Traders Associations of Nigeria (MATAN) Kaduna State chapter, women and youth groups in their large numbers within Kaduna metropolis came out at the weekend and staged a peaceful protest against the antics of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai and reiterated their loyalty and support to the administration of
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to the leaders of the association and groups, they are aware of some antics being played within their members by Malam El-Rufai after he defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Hence, they came out to state their stand against him and support for Governor Sani, who is wiping their tears and pains inflicted on them by El-Rufai.
The protesters alleged bitter experiences during the El-Rufa’i administration, saying they would remain where Governor Uba Sani stood and advised the citizens of Kaduna not to be deceived.
They recounted their ordeals during the eight years of the previous administration, alleging that hundreds of market shops belonging to individuals were either seized, demolished or confiscated, a situation that triggered ill health in many traders and business owners, leading to paralysis and multiple deaths of their colleagues.
“We have been in the market for over 40 years and have never experienced the kind of setbacks we suffered under the previous El-Rufai government.”
“A lot of lives were lost, a lot of finances were ruined by reason of his kind of policies. We are here to speak with one voice and say that anything that would revive such kind of philosophy in Kaduna market, we don’t want it,” Daniel Audu Maigari, a stakeholder of the Kaduna Market associations, said while addressing the mammoth crowd of traders.
He explained that “this incumbent Governor began by healing our wounds, the wounds that were really severed by the former Governor. Governor Uba Sani has been doing so very well and that’s why we have been with our leader, Alhaji Abdurrahman Mohammed, who like Governor Sani, has been charting the right course, ensuring programmes and plans that will heal these wounds.”
He said there has never been a time they are having the impact of leadership in Kaduna market, like they are having now. “Now we have lots of incentives, lots of policies that are driving us to progress. We are now standing with one voice to denounce anything that would reverse this,” he said.
Also speaking, Alhaji Daiyabu Ismail Mai Gwanjo, chairman Stakeholders of the Kaduna State Market Traders associations, said on behalf of their leader, Alhaji Abdurrahman Mohammed, his EXCO and all traders’ leaders in the 23 local government areas of Kaduna State, that they gathered to declare support for Governor Sani who had taken care of them and protected their interests.
According to him,” we have to say so, haven had the harrowing experience in the hands of the past administration. The scar still remains and many are yet to recover.”
“But when Almighty Allah sent Governor Uba Sani to us, he declared he would not do anything bad to traders because the world thrives on businesses. All the most cherished countries like China, Canada, UAE, India, are very proud of and supportive to their traders and other business persons.
“Unfortunately, we found ourselves during the previous administration that neither showed empathy nor sympathy to traders. An approximate number of 36 markets were demolished at that time. None of these markets was completely rebuilt,till date, and we are suspicious of the collaboration between the previous administration and the market developers.
“We are therefore calling on Governor Uba Sani, our Governor of sympathy and understanding, to look at this issue with a view to resolving it. We are with Uba Sani one hundred per cent, ” he added.
A woman leader of the market association, Hajiya Hadiza Abdulaziz, said they have gathered in multitudes to reiterate their support to the APC and Governor Uba Sani who has tremendously supported the market men and women in Kaduna State.
” Most of the market women had no shops because the shops were collected. But now we give God the glory everybody has gotten their shops back and nobody will collect it again,” she said.
She expressed happiness that those who had prevented the market women from succeeding had left the party and government. “We have been crying. A lot of market women don’t have capital; they have been deceiving us. But now, I believe Governor Uba Sani is going to assist us,” she added.
The protesters later took to the streets, displaying placards with various inscriptions denouncing the previous arrangements and chanting slogans supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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