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Nine days after Iponri Market in Lagos mainland was shut on the orders of the Iyaloja General, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo (daughter of National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu), the traders have congregated at the place, waiting anxiously for it to be reopened.

News Express learnt that Mrs. Tinubu-Ojo has agreed to reopen the market following days of pleading by the traders, who have run heavy losses following the sudden closure of the market in a bid to force them to register with APC, the ruling party in the state.

Even though officials sent by the Iyaloja General are presently at the market, they have yet to reopen it as promised. None of the traders approached by News Express agreed to comment, as they are afraid of being victimised.

As has been routinely reported by News Express over the past one week, special squad policemen from the Rapid Response Squad sent by Tinubu’s daughter stormed the market and locked it up on February 8.

One of the traders had said: “Our crime was that she invited the Market Committee Association for a meeting with her and they refused to attend so she locked up the market to show us who is boss.” When representatives of the traders went to the woman’s residence in Alausa, a shouting distance from Governor Babatunde Fashola’s office, to plead with her to reopen the market, she told them to return on Thursday and said they must all bring their APC registration slips when coming.

Mrs. Tinubu-Ojo’s high-handedness over the issue has attracted widespread condemnation, including from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APG), which demanded immediate reopening of the market, pointing out that membership of political parties is voluntary under Nigeria’s laws.

•Photo shows Asiwaju Tinubu and his daughter, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, who arbitrarily locked up the market nine days ago.

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