The Ekiti State governorship election has provided a significant boost to small-scale business owners around polling units in Ekiti West Local Government Area, with traders reporting increased patronage from voters, election officials, and observers. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that several residents took advantage of the large voter turnout to engage in brisk business around polling centres and major roads within the council area.
Brisk Sales at Polling Units
Vendors selling sachet water, bottled water, soft drinks, biscuits, and other snacks were seen moving around polling units and residential areas, attending to customers waiting to cast their votes. Some shops and food vendors also opened to cater to voters and visitors who travelled to the communities, despite restrictions on vehicular movement across the state.
At Aramoko-Ekiti, NAN observed that many residents purchased refreshments and food items while waiting for accreditation and voting, creating increased commercial activity in the area. Similarly, at Ido-Ile Ekiti and Ipole-Iloro-Ekiti, many market owners opened their businesses. In Erijiyan-Ekiti and Ikogosi-Ekiti, the country home of the incumbent governor, shops were open for voters to buy food and drinks.
Traders Report Positive Impact
One of the traders, Aina Jegede, who sold cold drinks and snacks near a polling unit, said the election had positively impacted her sales. “I have made good sales today because many people came into the community for the election. Unlike normal days, there are more people moving around and buying drinks and snacks,” she said. Mrs Jegede hoped that the increased patronage would continue throughout the day as voting progressed. Other traders also described the election period as an opportunity to generate additional income from the influx of people into their communities.
Commercial Cyclists Defy Movement Restriction
Meanwhile, commercial motorcyclists and tricycle operators in the state capital, Ado-Ekiti, continued operating in defiance of the movement restriction ordered by the police. The police commissioner in charge of the election, Abayomi Shogunle, had on Friday ordered the restriction of vehicular movement from midnight on Friday till 6 p.m. on Saturday.
As of 8 a.m., when the accreditation and voting were scheduled to commence, some traders at major markets in Ado-Ekiti metropolis were attending to customers. Some of the markets visited within the state capital included Eleyeo markets, Oja Oba Erekesan and Oja Bisi, where voting had already commenced.
Reasons for Defiance
A commercial motorcyclist, Oluwadare Adeleye, queried why he needed to sit at home. Mr Adeleye also noted that the security operatives on the ground for the election were very friendly, unlike in past elections. On his part, Moses Ajibade, a tricyclist, said he needed to feed his family and fulfil his weekly contribution obligation, hence the need to engage in brisk business. “I came out around 5:30 a.m., hoping that by 8 a.m., I would stop, but I had to continue working when I noticed there was no stoppage by security men,” he said.
Funmillayo Abolade, a pepper and vegetable seller, claimed that her items are perishable and would be wasted if not disposed of at the right time. “I can’t leave my market to waste; that’s why I came out to sell, and I’m not here alone; you can see my other colleagues also selling their wares,” she said. When reminded of the police restriction directive, Mrs Abolade said she was aware but added that she had no other option but to be at the market and return to vote later.
Massive Voter Turnout and Security Presence
Meanwhile, there was an early arrival of election materials, a massive turnout of voters, as well as a heavy presence of security operatives in most of the wards and polling units visited in Ado Local Government Area. In Ward 10, Unit 7 and Ward 8, Unit 9, accreditation and voting commenced exactly at 8:30 a.m. as election officials had arrived at the units as early as 7 a.m.
At Ward 8, Unit 9, a former senator representing Ekiti Central, Babafemi Ojudu, commended the large voter turnout but described the process as cumbersome. He called on INEC to intervene urgently to address the situation. “It took them 30 minutes for the BVAS to capture my face, and you can multiply that if we have 500 voters. This means some people have to be here till tomorrow. I am calling on INEC to do something urgently in this regard,” he said. (NAN)
