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| Market women at the venue of the rally in Calabar |
The inauguration of the Cross River State Market Women Forum, which culminated in the endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Bassey Otu for a second term, has sparked heated reactions across the state, with critics questioning both the turnout figures and the circumstances surrounding the event.
The forum, launched in Calabar under the leadership of the Wife of the Governor, Bishop Eyoanwan Otu, was presented as a platform for promoting the welfare, economic empowerment, and representation of women traders. During the event, market women reportedly declared support for President Tinubu and Governor Otu ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, the endorsement has since become the subject of intense public debate, particularly on social media, where several Cross Riverians have alleged that the gathering was more political than developmental.
One of the most widely circulated reactions came from Patience Henshaw, who claimed:
"They sold the uniform to the women for 5k and told them to come that they want to help their businesses. Those that went there came back very angry."
The comment has fueled a wave of similar allegations from individuals who claim to have attended or have knowledge of the event.
Several critics have described the gathering as a "paid crowd," alleging that many of the women were mobilized with promises of grants and business support only to leave disappointed. According to these claims, attendees were allegedly given small bags of rice and envelopes reportedly containing ₦5,000 as compensation after expectations of larger empowerment packages were not met.
While organizers announced various empowerment initiatives including cash grants, POS machines, business starter packs, wrappers, umbrellas, aprons, bags, and rice, some online commentators insist that the benefits reached only a limited number of participants.
Another point of contention has been the reported attendance. Official accounts described the gathering as attracting "thousands" of market women from across Cross River State. However, critics have challenged that figure, arguing that attendance was closer to a few hundred women rather than the thousands being reported.
The disagreement over crowd size has further fueled accusations that the event was designed more to generate political optics ahead of the 2027 election season than to address the pressing economic concerns facing market traders.
The controversy comes at a time when many traders across the state continue to grapple with rising inflation, high transportation costs, dwindling purchasing power, poor market infrastructure, and limited access to business financing. For some observers, these challenges make political endorsements less important than tangible economic interventions.
Supporters of the initiative, however, maintain that the forum represents a significant step toward organizing market women into a stronger advocacy platform capable of attracting government attention and support. They argue that the empowerment items distributed at the event demonstrate a commitment to improving the livelihoods of women traders.
As debates continue online and within communities, the contrasting narratives surrounding the event have raised broader questions about political mobilization, empowerment programmes, and the credibility of crowd figures frequently announced at government-backed gatherings.
At the time of filing this report, organizers of the Market Women Forum had not publicly responded to the specific allegations that women were charged ₦5,000 for uniforms, promised grants that did not materialize, or compensated with rice and cash after the event. Likewise, no independent verification has emerged to confirm the claims regarding the actual number of attendees.
What remains clear is that an event intended to showcase grassroots support for President Tinubu and Governor Otu has instead ignited one of the most contentious political conversations currently unfolding in Cross River State.
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