By Bilesanmi Abayomi
Amidst the political fervor following the 2023 general elections, supporters of Labour Party Presidential Candidate Peter Obi have found an unexpected business opportunity in the bustling streets of Lagos. Setting aside their political affiliations, these individuals have taken to hawking official portraits of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in traffic at Maryland Kosofe, Lagos State.
The tradition of publicly displaying the portraits of the Head of State and Governors in Nigeria can be traced back to the British colonial era. It serves as a means of familiarizing the public with the country’s leadership. However, it is important to note that no specific law enforces this practice.
Jude Oguta, a hawker of President Tinubu’s official portraits, shed some light on the business aspect of this unusual trade. “Selling the portrait is a business,” he emphasized. He further explained that people’s reactions to the portrait vary, as political sentiments differ among the populace. “Some are happy, some are not happy. Business is different from politics,” he added.
When questioned about his views on the new administration led by President Tinubu, Oguta declined to comment, leaving his thoughts on the matter open-ended.
It is worth noting that on May 29, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was inaugurated as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. However, both Peter Obi, the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, and his People’s Democratic Party counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, separately approached the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja. They urged the court to either declare them as Nigeria’s President or to cancel the election and order a fresh one due to alleged irregularities in thousands of polling units during the February 25 poll.