By OKONKWO EZE

ONITSHA — Registered voters in Nigeria, under the aegis of Conference of Nigeria Registered Voters, CNRV, have warned traders in Anambra State against voting for the flag bearer of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Mr. Willie Obiano in the November 16 governorship election in the state.

President of CNRV, Mr Jezie Ekejiuba who sounded this note of warning in a  statement yesterday in Onitsha, said their grouse was because of Obiano’s recent campaign speech where he was quoted as describing traders as second class citizens in the state.

Obiano reportedly said: “I am pained when people dismiss Anambra indigenes as traders. A state that gave the world Chinua Achebe, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Kenneth Dike, Alex Ekwueme and Odumegwu Ojukwu cannot afford to play second fiddle to its contemporaries in education.”

According to Ekejiuba, who is also a human rights lawyer, ‘’registered voters consider this statement coming from Obiano as an insult to traders in Anambra State, as most of whom are eminent personalities and graduates with bachelors and masters degrees.’’

CNRV added that by referring to Anambra traders as citizens who play second fiddle because of lack of education, Obiano meant that they ‘’have little or no education,’’ adding that ‘’this is a wrong assumption which is to say the least, unfortunate.’’

He further said that, “Anambra State is inhabited by proud traders and professionals. The state is what it is today because of the great contributions of her proud and prosperous market traders. This is not surprising because the state is home to the biggest market in West Africa- the popular and historic Onitsha Main Market.”

Describing Obiano’s speech as reckless, Ekejiuba asked the APGA’s governorship candidate to apologize to the traders without further delay, as the speech had exposed him as one who was likely to pursue anti-traders’ policies if voted into office.