As the Peoples Democratic Party held its national convention on Saturday, many commuters in Ibadan, Oyo State, were left stranded, as they expressed difficulty navigating major routes across the metropolis.

This follows a directive on Friday by the state’s chairman of the park management service, Tomiwa Omolewa, on the closure of major parks and strict restrictions on movement for motorcycle, taxi, and bus users. It also encouraged statewide compliance.

According to Mr Omolewa, commercial road transport workers across all motor parks in the state were expected to participate and mobilise their members to the PDP convention ground at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

“All joint chairmen are to go on air to announce that no vehicle or Okada should operate tomorrow in order to facilitate the smooth conduct of the PDP national convention. All motorists are directed to proceed to Adamasingba for the convention programme.”

“All interstate parks are to shut down tomorrow for the programme. Park managers are instructed to mobilise people to attend the programme and ensure orderliness,” the notice read.

In effect, public transport drivers plying areas, including Challenge, Dugbe, Mokola, Eleyele, Jericho, University of Ibadan, Ojoo, Iwo Road, and Gate, resorted to alternative but uneasy routes.

Peoples Gazette gathered that travellers entering and leaving the state could not use the park centres due to the closure.

Meanwhile, a video seen by The Gazette showed the park management members, led by Mr Omolewa, staging an endurance trek from the recently commissioned Iwo Road bus terminal to the convention ground.

Several residents took to social media to express their frustration and concerns about their experience.

An X user, @Ocean_Deepwells, said, “Imagine Alhaji Omolewa Tomiwa (TOMMY), chairman, Park Manager System Oyo State. He released a statement this morning that there should be no movement for Okada, Micra, bus and interstate motors today cos of the PDP national convention happening today in Ibadan. How???”

An Instagram user, @ayomi_68, said, “I’m at Iwo Road park right now, and it’s just so crazy how we have to suffer to get an interstate bus. I guess this kind of notification should have been announced a month earlier.”

“No cars on the road. Road is block. You should have told us before leaving the house. Y’all can do better, please. If you don’t have a car, sit in your house. No micra on the road,” another user, teemah_scent, posted.

Also, @kiki_ola said, “To think I thought it was about them reorganising and regulating the prices. Interstate prices are ridiculous at that terminal, and the clumsiness would pass for a local market.”

As of 6:00 p.m., it was observed that the transport restriction had been eased in major areas within the Ibadan North and Akinyele local government areas, as micra drivers, among other public users, had returned to the roads.