Prices of rice, garri, onion, tomatoes, pepper may influence voting pattern in 2027: Find out why

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Read History Go to My Account Log Out Enhanced by Google BDSunday Prices of rice, garri, onion, tomatoes, pepper may influence voting pattern in 2027: Find out why The 2027 general election may not be decided in Abuja. It could be decided in Oyingbo Market, in Doyin Market,

Listen to this article Share The 2027 general election may not be decided in Abuja. It could be decided in Oyingbo Market, in Doyin Market, Orile, Alaba Market, and in all the markets across the country where women find out daily that their meagre purchasing power is no longer able to buy food stuff for their households.

Rising cost of foodstuffs and astronomically high transportation fare have now squared up against politicians, especially those seeking the presidency where policies are determined and executed.

Nigerians have their eyes wide open. As street people would say, “they don shine their eyes.” The market woman only knows that government is performing when there is food on her table. She is not interested in paper excellent performance of the economy as quoted from the presidency, Ministry of Finance or the Office of the Central Bank Governor.

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, captured it succinctly when he preached stomach infrastructure, believing that it is a stomach that has food inside it that talks of election.

Government appears to have misunderstood this aspect of infrastructure. The lawmakers share cups of rice, garri, few packets of noodles, in some instances, bread, just to collect votes, after which their gates are under lock and key. The next place they wait for the vote is at the polls, where they give N2,000, N1,000 to collect votes.

But things have come to a head, with the rising cost of food items such as rice, garri, beans, crayfish, tomatoes, pepper, onions, these things that do not wait for tomorrow, they are used to solve the immediate problem of hunger.

A foodstuff seller at Doyin/Orile market, Mama Ejima, said things have gone from bad to worse, to the extent that after selling they find it extremely difficult to replenish stocks because one has to add money to be able to buy another stock. “Less than two months ago, half derica cup of egusi (melon) was N800, today, it is N1,500,” she said.

She added that rice that appeared to be relatively stable has also added money. “In 2015, half derica cup of egusi was less than N200, and even though quantity of money in our hands was fewer, things were much better.”

Another woman selling pumpkin leaf (ugu) was visibly angry that she could not recover her money because she does not know how much to sell what she bought.

“What we were buying at Oyinbo for N20,000 is now N35,000,” she said. “When transport goes up, prices of things also go up immediately.”

Charity Okonkwo plies her trade at Alaba Market, along Orile/Mile 2 Expressway. She said price of red oil is not stable, fluctuating between N4,000 and N3,000 for big Eva plastic. “Just divide it, you get the cost of small Eva,” Charity said.

She explained that price of red oil is determined by season. The same cannot be said about groundnut oil; some are selling N3,800, while some sell N3,900 for big Eva plastic bottle.

Another item that is giving people worries is the cost of onions. According to a lady who was lamenting while shopping, for a good pot of stew, you budget about N1,000 just for onions.

A bag of tomato rice which a month ago sold for N52,000 has gone up to between N70,000 and N80,000; a paint of beans was N5,000, but added N500; a paint of crayfish which sold for N8,500, now goes for N9,000; a paint of dry pepper was N4,000, but it is N5,000 now.

A derica of melon popularly known as egusi, was selling for N1,600 to N1,800, but it went up to N2,400 and N2,500; while ogbono of the same measurement is now N6,500 from N8,000, of which traders expressed happiness that it is trending down.

2025 vs 2026: The table that could sack politicians

Onyinye Gabriel said half paint of cocoyam sells for N3,000, while a paint measurement is selling for N6,000. She said that in 2015, a paint sold for N1,200 while half paint was N600.

A paint of cassava flakes (abacha) is N3,500, and half is N1,800. By pre-2015 era, it was sold N1,200 and N600 for paint and half paint respectively.

A lady who simply gave her name as Victoria revealed price of ugu. She said she buys mpampa (that is a bundle of pumpkin leaf) for N40,000 now as against N10,000; N5,000 pre-Buhari era.

She was quick to add that cultivation of pumpkin leaf requires irrigation and the producers need fuel to power their generators for irrigation, so all these have multiplier effect on the price, transportation also adds to the cost.

A seller called Badmus said a basket of very clean tomatoes goes for N50,000, while not-too-clean ones go for N37,000 as at November 4th. He said that in 2015, it was sold for N3,500.

A bag of shombo is N65,000, while it was N3,500 to N4,000 before 2015. Big bag of pepper is now N55,000 up from pre-2015 time of N3,500.

A bag of onions is selling for N230,000, from N4,000 to N5,000.

Madam Ere said a dozen bunches of plantain is now N75,000, whereas in 2015, it was between N5,000 and N6,000.

For a bag of Ijebu Garri, it was N10,000 in 2015, but now it is between N19,000 and N20,000. Yellow garri big bag, is N75,000 to N80,000, while it sold for between N50,000 and N60,000 some years ago.

James, who sells Okirika at Alaba Siri, said the trade is no longer booming, people are looking for how they can get money for food not clothes.

He said that a bale of polo is now N130,000 to N149,000, up from N34,000, N40,000; bale of shirt now N459,000 to N500,000 up from N250,000. Mixi mixi, is now N247,000 up from N70,000 to N80,000; Ladies tops, from N95,000 to N170,000, and a bale of knickers now N179,000 up from N95,000.

He said prices are simply flying not increasing; it is affecting patronage, customers are put off; when you tell them the price, they run.

“I drink garri now, and I can’t be drinking garri and be queue up to vote for somebody,” James said.

The government budgeted trillions for 2026 fiscal year, but all this money has not trickled down to the common man, and this is what is on the lips of everyone.

In 2027, the ballot box will not be about party manifesto. It will be about the price of garri, rice, tomatoes and onions. And for now, hunger is campaigning harder than any politician.