Ondo bans street trading ahead of Shettima visit for Tinubu campaign rally

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ondo State Government has directed all hawkers and roadside traders to vacate major thoroughfares and surrounding areas ahead of Wednesday’s presidential campaign rally.

This restriction, issued by the Ministry of Transport, forms part of comprehensive measures to maintain public safety and guarantee smooth traffic movement during the high-profile political gathering scheduled for 11 November 2026.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima is slated to arrive in the state capital to lead the rally, which has been organised to boost President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign.

According to transport authorities, the clearing mandate applies strictly to informal vendors who operate along designated parade routes and near the primary event grounds.

Conversely, the government clarified that the temporary ban will not affect standard commercial operations conducted within established shops, formal markets, or officially approved premises.

Street traders have consequently been urged to comply with the directive by transferring their daily transactions entirely into these designated business zones.

Furthermore, state officials appealed to local residents to cooperate fully with security personnel and traffic wardens deployed to manage crowd control throughout the visit.

Ultimately, the ministry emphasised that civic cooperation remains crucial to ensuring a peaceful gathering while preventing disruption to daily life across the state.