A group of suspected thugs on Tuesday reportedly obstructed the convoy of the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as he arrived in Benue State.
The incident occurred on the Gboko Road, said to be the main route linking the airport to the city, as the former Anambra State governor attempted to enter the town.
Videos posted on X by Esther Umoh, Obi’s photographer, showed a group of people wielding sticks and allegedly chasing vehicles in the politician’s convoy.
In one of the videos, Umoh said the road had been completely blocked by people who opposed Obi’s entry into the town.
“This is Gboko Road; the entire road is blocked. We just touched down, and this is the only road from the airport into town. They said Peter Obi is not coming into the town to see the people he wanted to see,” she said.
She condemned the incident, saying political disagreements should not degenerate into intimidation or violence.
“We should be able to do politics without going this low,” Umoh added.
The development has sparked controversy over the circumstances surrounding the disruption and the identity of those responsible.
However, the Benue State Government denied any involvement in the incident.
Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, said the government was unaware of Obi’s presence in the state and had no reason to deploy thugs against him.
“We are not aware whether he is in the state or not. If the Benue State Government is to stop anybody, including Peter Obi, why would the Benue State Government go and use thugs? Benue government doesn’t do that,” Kula said.
He described the allegation as an attempt to implicate the governor in an incident he said the state government did not authorise.
Obi: My visit was not for campaign
Speaking to journalists after the incident, Obi explained that his trip to Benue was motivated by the desire to sympathise with victims of insecurity rather than campaign for the 2027 election.
“I am in Benue not for a campaign. I only wanted to go to a place where people lost their lives and console them, show solidarity with them,” he said.
The NDC candidate expressed concern over what he described as the deterioration of political conduct in the country.
“But you can see the level at which our politics has degenerated,” he added.
Obi also cited his attendance at the launch of the Allied Peoples Movement presidential campaign office in Abuja on Monday as evidence of his support for peaceful political participation.
He urged Nigerians to prioritise unity and responsible political engagement, stressing that the country remained a shared responsibility.
“We have no other country except this place, and we will build it on unity and love with a sense of doing the right thing,” the former governor said.
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