By Awaal Gata
Zuba branch of the Nigerian Fruit Sellers Association (NFSA), at the weekend, elected new officials amidst tight security at Zuba fruit market
, a surburb of Abuja, the nation’s capital city.
Announcing the results, the national Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NFSA, Abubakar Daura, who was in-charge of the elections, said Shafi’u Mohammed polled 670 votes to emerge victorious for the chairmanship position. Mohammed, he said, defeated the incumbent chairman, Nura Haruna, who polled 580 votes and Adamu Aliyu, who scored 264 votes.
For the position of treasurer, Ibrahim Abuya polled 597 votes to defeat Bashir Mohammed and Musbahu Mohammed, who got 546 and 330 votes respectively.
Ibrahim Talba got only 13 votes more than his opponent, Mallam Bala, for the financial secretary’s position.
For the post of the secretary, Alhaji Tijani emerged victorious with 603 votes. He defeated Ibarhim Maigoro, Kabiru Alfa and Hussaini Mohammed, who got 461, 280 and 101 votes respectively.
In an interview with Blueprint after the announcement of the results, the national PRO pointed out that the elections were free and fair and the results reflected the “collective resolve” of the voters.
The PRO pleaded with the losers that they should not be embittered by the loss, but should rather work hand in hand with the winners towards the growth of the association.
He urged the new officials to partner with the government as soon as possible for the infrastructural development of the market.
He lamented that the market was lacking roads, drainages, power supply and shops.
“The people that were defeated should not be bittered for not winning. That is just what God wanted. They should work together with the winners to develop fruit market. Right now there market doesn’t have roads, light, shops and even drainages; lack of these things are making business difficult for us,” he said.
Elections for the posts of organising secretary, PRO and auditor would be held next weekend, while a date for the inauguration of the new officials would be announced next Monday, Daura told Blueprint.
