Toba Owojaiye reporting
Benin City, Edo State
Reports from Edo State reveal a troubling situation involving the forced political alignment of market women ahead of the upcoming gubernatorial elections. Allegations suggest that the Iyaloja of Edo State, a high-ranking APC (All Progressives Congress) member, is being influenced by Tinubu’s daughter, Folashade Tinubu – Ojo, the Iyaloja of Lagos, and are both orchestrating a scheme to coerce market women into voting for the APC governorship candidate.
According to sources, the Iyaloja has been financially incentivized to ensure the market women cast their votes for the APC candidate. This plan includes manipulating the leadership within the market to align with the APC, with accusations that substantial payments have been used to sway these women’s voting preferences.
Truth Live News gathered that the imposition of a new leader within the market, who is reportedly a staunch APC supporter, has ignited significant backlash from the market women. Viral social media videos show widespread protests against the selection of this new leader, highlighting claims of unfairness and a lack of transparency in the process.
This maneuver by the APC is perceived as a desperate bid to consolidate their influence at the grassroots level, leveraging the economic and political power of the market women to secure votes for their candidate.
Political commentator Osa Amuse has criticized the APC’s approach, labeling it as an indication of the party’s growing desperation in Edo State. He argues that such tactics undermine the integrity of the electoral process, suggesting that the party’s focus on coercion and manipulation undermines genuine political engagement and democratic principles.
Amuse also warned that this situation could have serious repercussions for the upcoming elections, as the misuse of federal power to influence local elections threatens the fundamental rights of citizens to freely elect their leaders.