Oyo Govt Monitors 11th Traders’ Referendum, Reaffirms Commitment to Unity and Democratic Representation

The Oyo State Government has monitored the 11th referendum among the 12 recognised traders’ clusters in the State, with members of the Ibadan Joint Traders Association unanimously electing Alhaji Dauda Abiodun Oladepo to represent the association on the Market Leaders’ Council for a two-year tenure.

The referendum, held in Ibadan, was monitored by officials of the Oyo State Ministry of Investment, Trade, Cooperatives and Industry, who represented the Honourable Commissioner, Professor Salihu Abdulwaheed Adelabu, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olajide Mamud Okesade.

Leading the Ministry’s delegation, the Deputy Director of Trade, Mr. Olayinka Raimi, said the referendum was part of the State Government’s ongoing process for the reinstatement and activation of the Market Leaders’ Council through a transparent, inclusive and democratic process.

Raimi explained that the exercise was designed to enable recognised traders’ clusters and associations to democratically select representatives who would constitute the Market Leaders’ Council, thereby providing a structured platform for effective engagement between the Government and the organised trading community.

He noted that the Ministry’s participation in the referendum was to ensure that the exercise was conducted in accordance with the stipulated guidelines, while promoting fairness, inclusiveness and credibility in the emergence of representatives.

Also speaking, the Assistant Director of Trade, Mr. Olawale Olanrewaju, explained that the Ministry agreed to attend the referendum following a letter from the association informing the Government that its members had resolved their differences and had become united.

Olanrewaju stated that the purpose of the referendum was to provide members with the opportunity to democratically choose their representative on the Market Leaders’ Council, adding that the Government delegates presence is to supervised the election which produced the representative of the association.

He disclosed that the Ibadan Joint Traders Association became the 11th association among the 12 recognised traders’ clusters to conduct its referendum, while the remaining association was yet to resolve its internal differences and, consequently, had not been able to conduct its referendum or invite the Government to monitor the exercise.

The Assistant Director stressed the importance of unity among traders, noting that the Market Leaders’ Council remained a significant platform through which the Government could effectively engage the trading community and ensure that Government programmes, opportunities and other benefits intended for traders reached them through a united and organised structure.

He urged the members to sustain the unity achieved and work together towards the growth of their businesses and the development of the State’s commercial sector.

In his remarks, Alhaji Dauda Abiodun Oladepo appreciated the Oyo State Government for its intervention and for sending officials of the Ministry to monitor the referendum. He also thanked members of the association for their participation and peaceful conduct throughout the exercise.

Oladepo, who acknowledged the presence of Alhaja Iswat Abiola Ameringun, also known as Chief Mrs. Oyinlola Iswat Abiola Ameringun, a prominent market leader and member of the association, said the association had resolved that there would no longer be a system of life presidency in its leadership structure.

He explained that henceforth, whoever was elected or installed as president of the association would serve for a defined tenure and vacate the office at the expiration of the approved term, rather than operating the former system of life presidency.

He further appealed to the Ministry of Investment, Trade, Cooperatives and Industry to continue its intervention towards resolving the outstanding differences among members, noting that the unity achieved so far was important for the progress of the association and the effective participation of its members in Government programmes.

The referendum, which represents the 11th exercise conducted among the 12 recognised traders’ clusters in Oyo State, culminated in the unanimous selection of Alhaji Dauda Abiodun Oladepo by members drawn from 11 Local Government Areas across Ibadan to represent the association on the Market Leaders’ Council for a period of two years.

The development marks another significant step towards the reconstitution of the Market Leaders’ Council and the strengthening of collaboration between the Oyo State Government and the organised trading community for sustainable commercial growth and economic development across the State.