No fewer than 2000 stalls have been allocated to displaced traders in Oyo State by the state government free of charge.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Oyo State chapter,in a statement in Ibadan on Sunday, disclosed that the displaced traders were given stalls at the ultra-modern Scout Camp market, Molete, Ibadan without bothering about their political party affiliations.

Apprently reacting to claim by the former governor of the state and leader of the Accord Party, Senator Rashidi Ladoja that only late Chief Bola Ige was able to provide alternative for traders in the state, the ACN's Publicity Secretary, Mr Dauda Kolawole, said that the people of the state were tired of Ladoja’s constant pointer to former governor of the state.

Rather, the ACN demanded that he (Ladoja) should name a single market he ever built during his tenure.

The Accord Party had asked the Ajimobi government to stop the anguish of traders who were yet to be allocated market stalls.

But the ACN said that it amounted to escapism and refusal to acknowledge the

colossal failure of his administration if the leader of Accord, Senator Ladoja, spent almost four years in government, with records of his demolition of shops at the Academy Bridge area, Adesola area on Lagos/Ibadan expressway, Orita Aperin/Modina Road,  Orita Aperin/Adekile road, without a corresponding provision of market stalls for the people, only to cite an administration as his as a perfect example of response to the people’s yearnings.

“Since he claims he loves the people so much and understands the importance of markets in their daily commercial lives, we challenge Ladoja to name a single market he ever constructed in replacement of the ones he demolished, throughout his barren years in office. We have named the stalls, the church and company he demolished, which he has not been able to controvert. When he now cites Chief Ige as having provided alternative markets for the people, we hope he knows he is making a fool of himself,” the ACN said.

According to ACN, apart from the current administration and that of Chief Ige, no other government had constructed a single stall for traders in the State, the ACN accused Accord and its leader of playing the ostrich and seeking cheap heroism in the hearts of the people.

The party said that in the last one week, its party-led government had embarked on an open and transparent allocation of the 2000 stalls at the ultra-modern Scout Camp market to displaced traders without bothering about their political party affiliations.

It added that what was unique about the Ajimobi government’s intervention in market construction was that the traders were given the stalls free of charge.

“It had never happened in the history of Oyo State. Government is not collecting a kobo from them and in the next few weeks, each allotee would be given loans by government to trade. We expect the Accord and its dreaming leader, Senator Ladoja, to engage us in comparative analysis of their government and ours, rather than this hypocritical claim of being the traders’ friend,” the ACN said.