Market leaders declare support for Sanwo-Olu and the APC in polls from 2023

On Tuesday, the Association of Commodity Market Women and Men of Nigeria, which represents the leadership of markets and communities throughout Lagos, announced its support for Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the state governor, and Obafemi Hamzat, the latter’s running mate, as candidates for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the general elections of 2023.

At a special meeting held at the Alausa home of their President-General, Mrs. Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, the leadership made the declaration when they met Sanwo-Olu.

Sanwo-Olu would meet with the industry titans for the second time in three months. The Governor was accompanied by his deputy Hamzat, Bolaji Roberts, Cornelius Ojelabi, the State Chairman of the APC, and Senator Ganiyu Solomon, the Director General of the APC Governorship Campaign Council.

Sanwo-Olu, who referred to marketers as “important stakeholders” in the governance of the state, said the visit was a component of his extensive consultations leading up to the general elections and noted that engaging with traders in the informal sector was important for reaching out to the general public.

In order to support the APC in the upcoming elections, the governor asked for their full cooperation and assured the market leaders of his administration’s dedication to their welfare.

He said: “Market leaders and their members are important stakeholders in the governance of Lagos. We interact with them from time to time and consult them on issues concerning growth of our markets. Today, we have come here to thank them for the support they have continued to give our Government and to encourage them to continue to be loyal citizens of the State.

“This venue has been a strategic meetinghouse for discussion with market leaders on socio-political issues. It was from this same house that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu left and was sworn in as the Governor of Lagos in 1999. Since then, this edifice has been the spot of convergence for all the market leadership in Lagos. The visit today is to reassure market men and women about our commitment to their well-being and to ensure we have their full cooperation as to their support for the progressives party.”

The Government has accelerated ongoing work to complete all the markets that are currently being built, Sanwo-Olu informed the traders.

He stressed that the intervention had given many women and low-income households the ability to meet their needs while announcing the continuation of credit grants to 100 micro and small businesses in each market throughout the state.

Sanwo-Olu took advantage of the occasion to list the accomplishments of his administration in the fields of education, transportation, and health, among others, claiming that they were done with the intention of improving residents’ lives regardless of their socioeconomic status or income.

“We are in the season of politics and we consider it necessary to meet with our people in the market and solicit for your support in the forthcoming general elections, especially for our presidential candidate, governorship candidate and other positions our party is vying.

“This is an important step, you are part of the crop of people that diligently wait at the polling booths to cast votes for our party. We cannot take you for granted, despite having new people in the electoral register. We need to engage and talk to you about our plans. In this case, we are seeking their support for all our candidates in general,” he said.

During the conversation, the traders brought up issues that affected them and gave the state government advice on potential areas for collaboration and improvement.

Iyaloja-General Tinubu-Ojo promised to mobilize members of their households and communities to vote en masse for APC in the state and at the federal election, assuring the governor of market leaders’ continued support for the party.

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