APM Governorship candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi visits Bode market, donates ₦2.5m to fire victims

The Governorship candidate of the Action Peoples Movement (APM) in Oyo State, Bimbo Adekanmbi, on Friday became the first major political figure to visit the scene of the devastating fire outbreak at Bode Market, Ibadan, where he sympathised with affected traders and donated ₦2.5 million to support victims.

Adekanmbi, who toured the sections of the market ravaged by the inferno, interacted with traders, assessed the magnitude of the destruction and listened to firsthand accounts of the losses suffered by victims.

Addressing the traders during the visit, the APM governorship hopeful described the incident as heartbreaking, saying the destruction had dealt a severe economic blow to many families whose livelihoods depended entirely on their businesses in the market.

“As soon as I heard about this unfortunate incident, I knew I had to come personally to identify with our people. No one should be left to bear this kind of loss alone,” he said.

“I have come not just to sympathise with you but to stand with you in this difficult period. Though no amount of money can replace the goods and investments destroyed by the fire, I hope this token donation of ₦2.5 million will provide some immediate relief and assure you that you are not alone.”

Adekanmbi urged the affected traders not to lose hope, assuring them that difficult moments often require collective compassion and solidarity from society.

He further called on well-meaning Nigerians, corporate organisations, philanthropic individuals and government agencies to extend support to the victims to enable them rebuild their businesses and return to normal economic activities.

“This is beyond politics. These are hardworking men and women whose means of livelihood have been devastated overnight. I therefore appeal to individuals, companies, religious bodies and all levels of government to come to their aid. Together, we can help them recover from this tragedy,” he said.

According to him, restoring the economic activities of the traders would not only benefit the victims but also contribute to sustaining commercial activities and preserving jobs within the state.

He stressed that prompt intervention from both public and private stakeholders would go a long way in reducing the hardship currently faced by the affected traders.

Many of the traders, who received the donation with gratitude, commended Adekanmbi for personally visiting the market and identifying with them at a time they were grappling with enormous losses.

They described the financial support as timely and appreciated his compassionate gesture, expressing hope that more individuals and organisations would heed his appeal by providing additional assistance to help victims rebuild their businesses.