Politicians Across the Isle Unite to Condemn Attack on Peter Obi

Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has condemned the blockade of the convoy of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi during his visit to the state.

Ortom described the incident as undemocratic and said Obi should have been allowed to sympathise with victims of the June 2025 attacks in Yelewata.

Speaking on Channels Television Politics Today, Ortom said: “I condemn what happened yesterday, it is wrong not to allow Peter Obi to visit Benue and sympathise with those people whose people were killed. That was what he came here to do. It was wrong and that is the kind of government that we have in Benue today. It is not the first time, they have done it before.”

Obi was scheduled to meet families affected by the killings of over 270 persons in Yelewata.

His convoy was stopped by youths near the Makurdi airport along the Makurdi–Gboko highway. The blockade caused heavy traffic, while police at the scene made little effort to disperse the crowd.

National Leaders Call for Accountability

Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo also condemned the incident, saying democracy must allow free movement of candidates. He noted that whether the protest was internal to the NDC or sponsored by rivals, it was unacceptable.

“Everyone should be allowed to move about freely and play their politics without such crude interference,” Keyamo said in a post on his official X handle.

NDC national leader and former Bayelsa governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, described the attack as “criminal” and “rascality of the highest order.” He stressed that governors have a constitutional duty to protect all Nigerians regardless of party affiliation.

Dickson dismissed Benue’s denial, saying the NDC had formally notified the Commissioner of Police of Obi’s visit.

“Once the Commissioner of Police is notified, you have notified the government. Because it is the duty of the Commissioner of Police now, at that point, to inform the governor, the security details, and all others.”

He warned that failure to punish those responsible could set a dangerous precedent. “

Young, unemployed, angry, misguided young people do not see this as a precedent where they now say, ‘Oh, it happened in Benue, nothing happened.’ And if you see that happening on a large scale, it means that even before the election… you’ll have a lot of crisis even before then.”

Dickson urged the Inspector-General of Police, Attorney-General of the Federation, and President to intervene before campaigns intensify. He said Nigeria must uphold democratic standards and protect candidates from intimidation.

Obi Appeals for Security Agencies’ Intervention

Reacting to the incident himself, Obi described the experience as disturbing.

“It is ridiculous. Our experience this morning is very very worrisome. We arrived Makurdi at 9 AM, but on our way to the Yelewata community, to console and show solidarity with the family affected by the killings… only to be blocked by thugs shouting, ‘Peter Obi go back!’”

He said his team avoided confrontation to prevent escalation. “We didn’t want to go on and cause confusion and possibly endanger the lives of other people, so I decided to remain as civil as possible.”

Obi urged the Inspector-General of Police and other agencies to ensure political activities are conducted without intimidation.

“This rascality cannot be allowed. We are a country, and can we confront these people on our own if these people cannot provide us with security? We cannot go on this way. This is unacceptable.”

Benue Government Denies Involvement

The Benue State Government rejected allegations that thugs loyal to Governor Hyacinth Alia blocked Obi’s convoy. In a statement, Chief Press Secretary Tersoo Kula said: “We wish to emphatically deny that the government of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has an idea of what Mr. Obi is talking about.”

The government described Obi’s allegation as unfounded and suggested the incident might be linked to internal NDC disputes.

It insisted that Governor Alia was committed to peace and the rule of law, adding that his administration does not “engage, patronize, or deploy thugs as instruments of governance or security.”

Meanwhile, Benue police paraded 46 suspects arrested in connection with the blockade. Commissioner of Police Cletus Nwadiogbu told journalists that investigations were ongoing and warned against political intolerance as the 2027 elections approach.