demanded money and the All Progressives Congress
membership card from traders as a prerequisite to reopening
the Abibatu Mogaji Model Market in Lagos.
A statement by her media consultant, Gboyega Akosile, on
Thursday added that no money was demanded from the
traders before the market was reopened on Monday.
It was reported on Wednesday that Tinubu-Ojo led a team of
policemen to the market, popularly called Iponri Market, 10
days earlier to lock it up.
Market sources were quoted alleging that she demanded APC
cards and money from traders before the market was
reopened.
Akosile, however, said the allegations were false. The statement reads in part, "To set the record straight, the
Iyaloja-General (Tinubu-Ojo) did not demand N5m from the traders and at no time was money paid to her personally before the market was reopened.
"On the issue of her demanding APC membership registration card, the Iyaloja-General did not ask traders to present their APC membership cards as a prerequisite to the reopening of the market. In fact, only executive members of the Iponri market held meetings with the Iyaloja- General and those few people could not have registered for the entire market
men and women."
Akosile explained that Tinubu-Ojo locked up the market to
correct some issues bordering on "poor sanitary condition,
defacing the original structure of the market, converting shops to other uses, illegal toll collection by some unscrupulous elements in the market, non-payment of statutory and mandatory fees to the local government and illegal occupant
syndrome."
When newsmen re-visited the market on Thursday to speak
with more market sources and confirm earlier information.
A woman who sold cutlery stated that money was demanded
from the market. She said, "The market was fined. Each shop
was asked to pay N1,000."
The source opined that the matter was already generating
more conflict.
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