By Vincent Egunyanga and David Lawani, Abuja
A political dispute has erupted between the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Benue State Government over the alleged disruption of the visit of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to Yelwata community, with both sides offering sharply different accounts of what happened.
While Obi accused state authorities of allowing political intolerance to interfere with his freedom of movement, the NDC demanded an investigation and prosecution of those allegedly responsible for blocking his convoy.
The Benue State Government, however, denied any involvement in the incident, insisting that Obi failed to formally notify the state authorities and coordinate the security arrangements required for a high-profile visit.
The controversy followed Obi’s arrival in Makurdi on Tuesday for a planned visit to Yelwata, where he intended to meet families and communities affected by the 2025 attacks in which more than 270 people were reportedly killed.
Obi said his convoy was stopped by a crowd chanting, “Obi go back,” forcing him to abandon the planned visit to prevent the situation from escalating.
He said he had supporters who could have confronted the group but deliberately chose not to mobilise them because of the risk of violence.
“We have our own teeming supporters, we have our own crowd, but we didn’t want to endanger anybody’s lives, so we pulled back,” Obi said.
The incident prompted Obi to call on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Ajayi, and other security agencies to intervene.
He accused state governors of attempting to restrict political activities and urged the security agencies to ensure that political differences did not become a justification for obstructing political opponents.
“I appeal to the Inspector-General of Police, DG DSS and other security agencies to call the governors to order. This rascality must not be allowed to continue,” Obi said.
He insisted that political campaigns ahead of the 2027 elections should be centred on issues rather than confrontation.
“Campaigns should be issue-based. It should be about how to provide security, stop hunger and pull our people out of poverty,” he said.
*Opposition party alleges political intolerance
The NDC subsequently escalated the matter, demanding an immediate investigation into the incident and prosecution of anyone found responsible.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the party alleged that suspected hired thugs blocked Obi’s convoy and prevented him from reaching Yelwata.
The NDC further alleged that the group was led by an aide to Governor Hyacinth Alia and carried dangerous weapons while ordering Obi and his entourage to turn back.
The party said Obi arrived in Benue at about 9 a.m. to meet victims and families affected by the Yelwata killings, insisting that the visit was humanitarian rather than political.
The NDC quoted Obi as saying: “I came to Benue not for politics but to mourn with our people, to listen to families who have lost loved ones, and to offer our solidarity during a moment of unimaginable pain.”
Describing the incident as “deeply troubling and condemnable,” the party said the alleged obstruction raised wider concerns about political freedom and the safety of citizens and political leaders travelling across the country.
It insisted that the government had a primary responsibility to protect lives and create an environment where citizens could move freely without fear.
“Every Nigerian deserves to live, sleep peacefully, travel safely, and farm their lands without fear,” the party said.
The NDC called on the Benue State Government and security agencies to identify those behind the alleged blockade and prosecute them if found culpable.
It also demanded guarantees for the safety of political leaders and other citizens seeking to visit communities affected by violence.
*We’re not involved, visit lacked security coordination — Government
The Benue State Government rejected the allegations, insisting that Governor Alia’s administration had no involvement in the incident.
The State Commissioner for Information, Solomon Iorpev, said Obi should have formally informed the state government of his planned visit to enable the authorities to make adequate security arrangements.
“A high-profile person who has been a former governor of a state is coming into the state; he should have written a letter to the State Government,” Iorpev said.
“We are supposed to guarantee his safety and protection, but in an instance where no letter was written, we could not guarantee his safety.”
Iorpev said the government did not know the identity of the youths who allegedly blocked Obi’s movement and could not therefore accept responsibility for their actions.
He said Obi’s arrival coincided with a meeting involving youths from the state’s 23 local government areas, suggesting that the gathering could have contributed to the obstruction.
“If they were coming from either Tarka, Gboko, Buruku, Ushongo, Konshisha or Vandeikya at the same time of his visit and blocked the road, it is unfortunate. I do not know the youths who did that,” he said.
In a separate statement issued by Governor Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the government described allegations linking the governor to the incident as unfounded.
Kula said the government had no knowledge of what Obi was referring to and insisted that the administration did not use thugs to maintain order or pursue political objectives.
“We wish to emphatically deny that the government of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has an idea of what Mr Obi is talking about,” Kula said.
He added that the administration would not “engage, patronise, or deploy thugs as instruments of governance or security.”
The government also questioned the circumstances of Obi’s visit, arguing that a presidential candidate and former governor should ordinarily coordinate his movement with the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies.
It maintained that if Obi had encountered individuals opposed to his political activities, the incident should not automatically be attributed to the state government.
