Questions have continued to trail the delay in conducting the planned referendum for the Oyo State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), following allegations of administrative bottlenecks and legal misunderstandings.
Mrs. Odunayo Kayode Danjuma, a leader in the association, alleged that although a referendum notice was issued to the 12 trade clusters, including NANTS, and a date was mutually agreed upon, the exercise was stalled after officials of the Oyo State Ministry of Trade cited an ongoing court case.
According to her, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Mr. Okesade, through an official, informed her that the Oyo State Ministry of Justice had notified the ministry of a pending case scheduled for July 8, 2026.
However, Danjuma maintained that the Ministry of Justice had already withdrawn from the matter nearly a year earlier after concluding that it had no case to defend. She further claimed that the suit, filed by one Madam Aderonke Adedoja, was eventually struck out by the National Industrial Court on July 8, 2026.
She argued that Adedoja is neither a registered member of NANTS nor a trader recognized by the association in Oyo State, insisting that the legal action lacked merit and jurisdiction.
Danjuma also alleged that repeated visits to the Ministry of Trade to obtain an official explanation for the postponement of the referendum yielded no result. According to her, ministry officials initially requested that she return after consulting the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, before later asking her to present the enrolled court order confirming the dismissal of the case.
She said her legal counsel subsequently wrote to the ministry, explaining that the enrolled order was awaiting the judge’s endorsement, while advising the ministry to independently verify the court’s records if necessary.
The NANTS leader further clarified that the court matter involved her in a personal capacity and an unnamed individual, stressing that the case was not instituted against the National Association of Nigerian Traders, Oyo State chapter.
She expressed concern that despite the ministry’s earlier withdrawal from the case, it reportedly acted on a subsequent letter from a private legal chamber, which she claimed had not been served on her or the association.
Danjuma appealed to the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), the Chief of Staff, the Head of Service, and the Oyo State Commissioner for Justice to intervene and ensure that the referendum is conducted without further delay.
She also warned against excluding NANTS from the Oyo State Market Leaders Council, insisting that the association has a constitutional responsibility to protect and defend the rights and interests of traders across the state.
