Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has condemned the reported obstruction of his convoy in Benue State where he alleged that suspected political thugs and security operatives prevented him from reaching a community where he intended to condole residents affected by recent killings.
Obi was stopped along Boko Road, near the Air Force Base, shortly after arriving in the state on Tuesday.
The former Anambra State governor said he travelled to Benue to sympathise with communities that had suffered deadly attacks, but was unable to proceed to the area because his convoy encountered a blockade.
Speaking at the scene, Obi said he was informed that youths allegedly sponsored by Governor Hyacinth Alia had blocked the road.
“I am here in a place where people have been killed. I am here to commiserate with them, but now I have been told that youths sponsored by the governor have blocked the road and made sure I do not go in,” he said.
Obi said he had spent some time at the location without being allowed to continue his journey. He described the situation as unacceptable.
“I have been standing here since. We cannot have a country like this. It does not make sense to me. The rascality is totally unacceptable,” the NDC candidate declared.
His complaint centred not only on the alleged obstruction of his convoy but also on the purpose of his visit. Obi said he had travelled to an area affected by violence to express solidarity with bereaved communities.
He questioned why a political figure visiting victims of violence should be prevented from accessing them.
“People are being killed every day in Benue. People want to condole them and show that they are with them. I came here only to be told we cannot go in,” he said.
The reported confrontation comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 elections, with Obi emerging as one of the prominent opposition figures preparing for the presidential contest.
The incident has also generated competing accounts over whether the state authorities knew about Obi’s movement.
Earlier, the Benue State Government said it had no prior knowledge of the visit. The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Alia, Kula Tersoo, told Vanguard that neither the governor nor the state government had received official notification of Obi’s reported trip to Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area.
Tersoo said advance notification would ordinarily be necessary to allow the state’s security architecture to make appropriate arrangements for a presidential candidate and former governor.
He also rejected suggestions that Alia would deploy youths to prevent Obi from visiting the state. He maintained that the governor did not promote thuggery.
“If Obi is a threat to him, or maybe he felt that Obi’s coming would cause a problem for him, the right thing to do is to get legitimate security operatives to do the needful and not to gather youths or send them to go and block him,” Tersoo said.
The contrasting accounts have consequently put the circumstances surrounding the blockade at the centre of the controversy.
While Obi attributed the obstruction to youths allegedly sponsored by the governor, the state government denied knowledge of his visit and distanced Alia from any mobilisation against him.
At the time of Obi’s reaction, the Benue State Government had yet to issue a response specifically addressing his allegations at the scene.
The incident has therefore raised questions about political access, security coordination, and the ability of opposition figures to move freely while undertaking political or humanitarian visits ahead of the 2027 election season.
READ RELATED NEWS UPDATES
Obi calls for love, unity as politicians gear up for 2027
Obi turns 65, gives 65 children a new lease on life
Obi: 600 abducted in Niger? ‘Bring our people home’
