Edo election: Benin traders open for night market after poll

Some traders at the popular Ikpoba Hill Market in Benin converged Saturday night for business shortly after the close of the Edo Governorship Election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there was restriction of movement during the election hours, which ended at 6pm.

The exercise affected commercial activities as shops and markets remained shut.

Some traders, who spoke in separate interviews with NAN, said they were hopeful to make good sales, in spite opening late.

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They argued that there were people, who cannot cope without coming to market to buy stuffs on a daily basis.

According to them, such buyers must come, regardless of the time.

A fruit seller, Mrs Loveth Idemudia, said she came to market to save her goods from getting spoilt.

“I bought many loaves of bread and other fruits and if I fail to do night sales, they might get bad.

“I won’t be able to sell them tomorrow morning because I will be going to church,” Idemudia said.

She said that, in spite arriving at the market at about 6.39pm, she had made reasonable sales and was hopeful to sell all the stuffs before retiring home.

Another trader, Mrs Angela Osas, who deals in ‘fufu’, said she had sold one bucket of the food within an hour.

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“I got this business idea after the 2023 General Elections and today I can tell you that my coming here tonight has been rewarding,” Osas said.

A tomato seller, who identified herself simply as “Mama Baby,” said her target was to sell her products to avoid any loss.

“I didn’t come on time, but I know that I will finish my goods quickly because people are buying gradually since about an hour ago I came,” she said.

A customer, Cecilia Emeka, who came to make some purchases at the market, said that many shops in her area were shut, hence she came to the market.