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By Abdulwaheed Olayinka Adubi, Kaduna
Kaduna state trader’s association, with thousands of members across the state’s three senatorial districts, has endorsed Hon. Isa Ashiru Kudan, the gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Kaduna state, for the 11th March governorship elections.
Adopting Ashiru as its candidate during a stakeholder meeting with hundreds of traders in Kaduna yesterday, the state chairman of the association, Alhaji Adamu Usman, said the endorsement became necessary given the harsh economic situation that the administration of Governor el-rufai has thrown traders into.
According to Adamu, their stalls were demolished without compensation from the state government. “Even owners of stalls in Sheik Ahmed Gumi central market had their stalls revoked. Owners were asked to reapply on the new rent set up by the government and must pay 10 per cent of the total rent before taking possession.
“The present state government demolished most of our markets and in the process threw thousands of traders into poverty. When you are asked to apply for a new stall, the amount put on the stall is so high that most couldn’t afford it.
“So we decided to endorse Ashiru because the previous PDP administration in Kaduna state has always been sympathetic to traders. They have even given us soft loans in the past and created a good environment for our members to flourish in their different businesses,” he said.
Speaking after the endorsement, Ashiru, expresses gratitude for the support, while adding that he won’t disappoint them when elected.
He added that empowerment, entrepreneurship, and having the right environment for business people in Kaduna to flourish would be one of the tasks of our administration when elected. Creating the right environment for our traders is itself a way of developing Kaduna state and that is why we will not take this endorsement for granted,” he said.
After presenting him to those gathered at the meeting, the traders vowed to continue mobilizing the general public to vote for Ashiru and all other candidates of the PDP.