By David Adeoye
#TrackNigeria: Traders on Saturday made brisk business at the Mapo area of Ibadan during the Campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC), whose major candidate was President Mohammadu Buhari, the party’s presidential candidate.
Items which were majorly on sale were caps and T-shirts, customised with the insignia of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as sachet/table water and soft drinks.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the venue of the rally and its neighbourhood such as Beere, Oja-Oba and Idi-arere were besieged by thousands of APC members and supporters who came to hear from the number one citizen of Nigeria.
Many APC supporters were sighted at every available location where such items of interest were on display.
Sellers of brooms – the symbol of APC, also had a good business day while kolanut and bitter kola sellers equally had a good day.
Madam Esther Ajimo, an APC women ward leader in Ibadan North local government area, said she bought 55 bunches of broom for APC women from her ward to welcome President Buhari during the rally.
Ajimo confirmed that she got the items at a hiked price of N150 instead of N100.
Another respondent, Mr Bimbo Ayanwale, said the long hours in the sun compelled him to drink six sachets of water, ‘just like other persons here.”
Ayanwale said the presence of the traders was normal, as it met the needs of the party faithful, especially given the intensity of the sun.
Some of the traders who spoke with NAN expressed satisfaction with the sales recorded at the event.
One of them, Mr Bidemi Ojo, who sold customised caps, said that in anticipation of high sales, she made the necessary preparations.
Ojo said she sold not less than 235 customised caps and 180 and T-Shirts, respectively, during the rally.
Mrs Yemisi Olagunju, satchet/table water vendor, also affirmed the rally was worth it, looking at it from the business point of view.
Olagunju said she sold more than 80 bags and 20 packs of sachet and bottled water respectively between 9 am and 1:13 pm when the programme ended.
A soft drink seller, Mrs Grace Aarinola, said she sold 18 crates of soft drinks of different brands and appreciated the organisers of the rally for allowing traders within the premises of the event.
NAN reports that the rally ended at exactly 1:13pm after President Mohammadu Buhari had addressed the mammoth crowed.(NAN)
