Edo Election: Traders Defy Movement Restrictions, Continue Business Activities At New Benin Market
By Trek Africa Newspaper
Traders at the new Benin market defied police-imposed movement restrictions to engage in brisk business on Saturday morning as the Edo governorship election commenced.
By 7 a.m., vendors had set up makeshift stalls along the main thoroughfare, selling goods despite official warnings to maintain order for the electoral process.
Trek Africa Newspaper reports that although there was a visible police presence on the roads leading to the market, aimed at enforcing the movement restrictions, the marketplace in Benin was alive with activity as residents made last-minute purchases.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, Mrs. Grace Omonuwa, a vegetable vendor, expressed her determination to earn a living, stating, “Elections may be important, but so is our livelihood.”
Similarly, Mrs. Ngozi Eze mentioned she was in the market to gather items before heading to the polls. “I need to buy some food before I go vote,” she gently remarked while navigating through the bustling market.
During a news briefing on Friday, the police announced that the restriction of movement would be in effect from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on election day.
