Some petty traders around polling units in Ede and its environs recorded brisk sales on Saturday, attributing the increase in patronage to the large turnout of voters during the Osun governorship election.
The traders, who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the election provided a significant boost to their businesses, with some expressing a wish for similar opportunities to occur more frequently.
A bean cake and bread seller, Mrs Toyin Aina, said she made more money from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. than she usually earned in a week.
“This is an awesome experience and I must thank God that this election came on a date my children had vacated for the long vacation.
“It hasn’t been easy serving the number of customers who crowded my shop since morning, but to the glory of God, the sales have been rewarding,” she said.
Aina said voters and essential workers had patronised her food business while carrying out their responsibilities at various polling units.
Similarly, another trader, Ms Kudirat Adeleke, said she moved from one polling unit to another selling carbonated drinks and bottled water.
Adeleke said she had already met her sales target and planned to rest after making good sales.
She attributed the development to the large turnout of voters and other residents, which provided a ready market for her products.
A Point-of-Sale (POS) operator, Mr Abdullateef Adebayo, also said he recorded good patronage by providing cash withdrawal services to voters and other residents.
“I have made good business giving customers money either through cash or transfer since I came out.
“To be sincere, the turnout has been encouraging because not many POS operators dared to come out today, and that provided a nice opportunity for me,” he said.
Also, a food vendor, Mrs Bukola Olaoye, expressed satisfaction with the patronage, while praying for a peaceful conclusion to the election.
Olaoye urged political actors participating in the election to accept the outcome and ensure that the process remained peaceful and credible.
Some voters also welcomed the presence of traders around polling units, saying they had the opportunity to buy food and drinks while waiting to cast their ballots.
The election was held across the 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State, with varying reports of voter turnout across communities.
NAN reports that voting commenced early in some polling units, while some areas experienced delays. Voting was still ongoing in some locations as of the time of filing the report.
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