….Accuses him of dropping Gov’s name to do wrong In Markets.
A group known as the ‘Property Owners Association’ at the Imo State International Modern Market Egbeada/Ubommiri is demanding for the immediate removal of Barr Rex Anunobi,as Commissioner of Commerce,Trade and in Investment.
In a strong worded petition to the Governor of Imo state Sen.Hope Uzodinma signed by the group’s Chairman and Secretary,chief chibuike Amama and Ibe Esther C and made available to newsmen in Owerri, they alleged,said Commissioner is using the name of Gov Uzodinma to commit lots of misbehaviour in Imo markets particularly,the Imo state international modern market Egbeada/Ubommiri.
According to the press statement by the group,Barr Anunobi was allegedly said to have forcefully invaded the said market using the name of the governor by way of reallocating and issuing allocation papers of the lock up shops, open shades and space of lands at the said market, illegally using the Government House and Ministry of Commerce letter- headed paper.
The group said he knows that himself and his Ministry or the state government, or even the Governor himself lacks the constitutional powers to reallocate already allocated shops in the said market,as clearly stated in s7 4th schedule of the 1999 constitution.
Most unfortunate of his alleged illegality with the name of the Governor at the said market is that these shops and space of lands he is re-allocating are shops and properties the Mbaitoli Local Government had already allocated to people since 2018 .
It noted that the said Commissioner,using the name of the Governor,forcefully enters the market,dispossesses the said original allottees by Mbaitoli LGA Council,intimidates and harrasses them that he is acting on the Governor’s directive, when it is glaringly clear that the Governor, as a former lawmaker at the red chambers who understands the letters of the 1999 constitution regarding the powers of the Local governments ownership of markets in Nigeria can never get himself involved in such constititutional breach and criminality.
The statement further accused Commissioner Anunobi of selling over 300 lock up shops and 25 space of lands running into billions of Nigeria which they allege may not be accounted for through TSA.
“Each shop costs about one million Naira and block of 24 shops costs about N25 to N30Million while space of lands costs N15 to N20million at the said market”.
The statement recalled that the Governor of Imo State Sen. Uzodinma had some months ago warned Commissioner Anunobi to stay away from the Market affairs as same is the business of the Local governments.
The Governor also gave him this warning in front of the other 27 local government Chairmen in a stakeholders meeting between the Chairmen and Commissioner Anunobi.Despite the Governors warnings,the said Commissioner has remained defiant and is still using the name of the Governor to continue his alleged atrocities in the market particularly the said Imo state international modern market Egbeada/Ubommiri where a recent judgment was delivered against Commissioner Anunobi and his cohorts to stay away from the market in suit No HMI/1/2025, but he wouldn’t listen.
Instead,he is currently using the name of the governor, alleging he is doing so alongside some court officers and some others from the Ministry of Justice to harrass and intimidate enforcement officers of the court from carrying out execution of the said judgment of court.
They have also used the name of the Governor to file a cheap notice of appeal and motion for stay just to frustrate the execution of the judgment which the court had given the affected illegal occupants/teaders at the said market to vacate from the market within 48 hours.
The release further called upon the performing Governor of Imo state to sack Commissioner Anunobi as his alleged continuous use of his name and office of to commit many wrong in Imo markets particularly at the said Imo modern market Egbeada/Ubommiri is becoming embarrassing and has continued to bring the name and image to the Governor to bad light
.The statement also urges the Governor to disassociate himself from LLM Alozie(SAN) and Magistrate Nneoma Ezerioha(the Chief Registrar of Imo High Court) as their alleged continuous use of his name to commit wrong doing in the state has become embarrassing and intolerable.
The group used the opportunity to warn Commissioner Anunobi to stay away from Imo modern Market Egbeada/Ubommiri as the market belongs to Mbaitoli local government and should also stop using the name of the Governor to harrass and intimidate traders at the said market in order to have his way with his illegal acts , even as it noted that Gov Uzodinma is not a trader or shop or property owner trading at the said market, neither did he invade the market to take people’s shops and reportedly reselling them as the said Commissioner is currently doing with his cohorts,the statement concluded.
