Market leaders and stakeholders in Oyo State have reconfirmed their loyalty and support to the government of Engr. Seyi Makinde in the state.
The leaders, however, distanced themselves from reports that the leadership of market associations in the state has declared support for a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 election in the state.
The resolutions of the leaders and stakeholders were disclosed in a communique signed by the chairmen and chairpersons of the 12 market clusters in the state and made available to journalists in Ibadan after their meeting.
The leaders also disowned Alhaja Saratu Konibaje for declaring the support of the market associations for the APC governorship aspirant, Engr. Remi Oseni for the 2027 election.
The leaders and stakeholders maintained that Alhaja Saratu Aduke only speaks for herself and not for the traders in Oyo State.
They went further to question on what authority she addresses herself as lyaloja General of Oyo State.
The communiqué, therefore, directed all market men and women in the state to ignore any directive from anybody, including Alhaja Saratu Aduke Konibaje as regards the 2027 election, saying that directives will be given at the appropriate time.
What authority does she have to speak on behalf of traders in Oyo State? Presently, we don’t have any Iyaloja General of Oyo State and nobody should lay claim to it.
It is on this note that we declare our unalloyed support for the administration of His Excellency Engr. Oluseyi Makinde and applaud him for his pro-poor policy and developmental projects all over the state.
It has been clearly stated that they can only support any candidate presented to them by His Excellency, Engr. Oluseyi Makinde for the governorship position of Oyo State come 2027.
The market leaders and stakeholders further denied the allegation that the leadership of the associations received money worth millions of naira to support the aspiration of a politician for the 2027 governorship race.
Speaking as regards to this, Babaloja General of Oyo state, Alhaji Yekini Abass (YK Abass), said no trader association under the Oyo State market leaders received such money from anybody.
He said the purpose of addressing the press is to come out publicly and declare their unflinching support for the leadership and administration of Governor Seyi Makinde, noting that the market leaders in the state are solidly behind the him.
We are assuring Governor Makinde that all the market associations in Oyo State are behind him, that’s why we’re all present here, we’re boldly telling the governor to relax, trust God and the associations. We’ve been following him and will not stop now”
Alhaji YK Abass, however, appealed to the governor to reconstitute the Oyo State Market Leaders Council, to further solidify the operations of market leaders in the state.
He begged the governor to also extend his hand of love to the leadership of the market associations by donating buses to trader and artisan associations as he has done for many students, religious and farmers’ associations as well as institutions.
Alhaji Abass urged Makinde to disregard insinuations and unfounded rumors in some quarters that the market leadership in Oyo State is not united and that it is against the leadership of the governor.
Also speaking, Asiwaju Oloja General of Oyo State, Chief Mrs. Julianna Raimi, who commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his giant strides in road and infrastructural development in the state, said it has been the style of any market and artisan association to always be in total support of any government in power.
Chief Raimi, who is the market leader for Agbeni/Ogunpa Market, also disowned the membership of some alleged impostor going about tarnishing the image of market associations in the state.
Others who spoke at the briefing reiterated their unalloyed support for Governor Seyi Makinde’s leadership in his determination to transform, develop, reposition and maintain peace in Oyo State.
Packaged by Adekunle Adegboyega
