Traders and artisans at the International Trade Fair in Lagos on Thursday declared support for the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential and governorship candidates President Muhammadu Buhari and Babajide Sanwo-Olu respectively at a mega rally.
The traders, who staged a walk round the market and engaged in voter education exercises, said their support for the APC was as a result of the improvement the market had witnessed under the current government.
According to them, they were particularly impressed by the leadership style of the Executive Director of the International Trade Fair Mrs. Lucy Ajayi, an appointee of Buhari, who had ensured peace, transparency and accountability in the market.
Among those who partook in the rally were former executive members of the market- Chief Paschal Udeh, Chief Alex Odunukwe, Chief Oscar Odogwu and Comrade Uba Amechi.
Speaking at the rally, Udeh said he was supporting the APC because of Mrs. Ajayi’s strides in the market, adding that they have been able to conduct their businesses without fear of violence since she took over.
He said: “I have been in this market for many years and I know how violent it used to be. People used to be scared. There was hardly a day that there wasn’t a fight and bloodshed. But all that has changed since this regime came in.
“I do not know Buhari but because of the good things Mama Lucy Ajayi has done in this market, I am supporting APC.
“We have never had it so good. We have had several executive directors in trade fair in the past, they were not accessible. She has been able to achieve this much because she listens and has vision.
“They have promised to do more especially provision of road and I belief they will do it. So, we are calling on out people to vote for Buhari during presidential and Sanwo-Olu at the governorship elections.
“We do not want another party to come in and scuttle the good plans already on ground.”
During an aside interview with reporters, Mrs. Ajayi said the people’s support for the APC was a testament of the party’s good governance, assuring that government would commence construction of bad roads in the market soon.
She said the traders had also regained trust in the system and were paying their taxes and levies, which they stopped under the previous administration.
“When I came in, I met N44 million but right now we have been able to generate over one billion naira into the federation account. Not just the Treasury Single Accounts (TSA) but also the consolidated account.
“Before now we usually have N34 or N44 million as budget but right now over a billion was approved because at the budget presentation, I told the lawmakers that I have studied the market and we can generate more money,” said Ajayi.
Mrs. Ajayi said she got the President’s approval to effect positive changes in the market, claiming that most of the youths causing trouble have been gainfully employed.
“We had to work to bring back the glory of this trade fair. We had someone who ran the affairs of this place under the past administration and for nine years, no dime was remitted to the federation purse.
“It was supposed to be a developmental contract or concessioning and it was obvious he did the opposite.
“But since I came which is barely two years, I have been able to make a difference because my principal, President Muhammed Buhari gave me all the freedom to do all I need to do.
“What I heard from the past Executive directors was that madam if you say anything against what that person was saying, you will lose your job.
“He gives you a mandate and he gives you the freedom to execute that mandate. By February ending we will commence construction work on the five kilometer road that has been hanging on. That is a land mark victory because when I came in here the first thing the traders said was that they were in bondage and that they were made to pay unnecessary levies whereas, the roads are bad.
“They complained about their trucks are falling and so, I did some palliative measures on the road to reduce incidences of falling trucks. I did not seek permission from anyone to do so and no one has penalised me because it was the right thing.”
