File: Former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Enugu State, Uche Nnaji, has promised to rebuild demolished markets and provide free shops to affected traders if elected in the February 6, 2027 election.
Nnaji made the pledge on Sunday while receiving a coalition of interest groups at his campaign office in Enugu. He said his administration would review the circumstances surrounding the demolition of markets and work out arrangements to restore the livelihoods of displaced traders.
The delegation comprised leaders of the Arewa Northern Forum, traders and artisans displaced from Gariki Market, members of the Inter-Faith Council and leaders of non-indigene communities resident in the state, among other stakeholders.
The groups, who expressed solidarity with the PDP candidate, lamented the hardship allegedly caused by market demolitions, multiple taxation and difficulties in securing trading spaces. They also expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as unfulfilled political promises by the present administration.
Responding, Nnaji said the loss of businesses and sources of livelihood had caused severe hardship for many families, insisting that the government should prioritise wealth creation and citizens’ welfare rather than implement policies that leave people destitute.
“From the experience people have had and the trauma they have gone through, I know for a fact that many people have died. Many people have died because of the trauma they have experienced.
“It is not easy for a family man to lose his means of livelihood. The essence of government is to create wealth, not to destroy people’s livelihoods or cause their deaths. If you take away a man’s or woman’s means of livelihood, you are virtually sentencing that person to death.
“The government should not target our people. In fact, no government should target anybody, whether the person is an indigene of the state or not,” he said.
The PDP candidate said his administration would undertake a comprehensive review of the situation confronting traders whose shops had been demolished and consider building replacement markets to accommodate them.
He explained that the proposed arrangement would depend partly on the resources available to the incoming administration but maintained that restoring the traders’ livelihoods would be a priority.
“My intention is to use public resources to build the markets and give the shops to their original owners free of charge. We will assess the resources available to us and determine whether we can provide the shops free or introduce a phased arrangement under which traders pay a very small amount that will enable us to accommodate everybody.
“However, my decision, as soon as I assume office, is to begin constructing replacement markets for those that have been demolished. Government is not about making money. It is about ensuring that the people live well and creating wealth for them. If we have the resources to build the markets and give the shops to the traders free of charge, we will do so,” he said.
The PDP standard-bearer also promised to address disputes involving filling stations located on land intended for markets, saying his administration would explore the possibility of relocating such facilities to alternative sites to allow trading activities to resume.
Earlier, the leader of the Arewa Northern Forum, Innocent Iwual, said the association had existed for 19 years and had members across Enugu State.
Iwual said members of the northern community had participated in previous elections but felt disappointed by what he described as unfulfilled promises by politicians after assuming office.
“We are everywhere. We are in Nsukka, we are in Orba and we are in every part of Enugu State. Wherever you go, you will find us. During the last election, our people came out and voted. We received a lot of promises, one after another, but even”
Also speaking, a PDP chieftain, Chief Basil Ani, said the gathering brought together traders affected by market demolitions, families of people said to have died following the resulting hardship and non-indigenes who wanted to express their support for the PDP.