Incident on the Makurdi-Gboko Highway
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi encountered significant transit resistance on Tuesday as his campaign convoy was blocked by groups of youths on the Makurdi-Gboko federal highway in Benue State. The incident occurred shortly after Obi arrived at the Tactical Air Command Makurdi airport, preventing his team from reaching the Yelewata community, where he had intended to visit victims of 2025 regional violence.
According to Channels Television, the blockade brought traffic to a standstill for several hours. While the NDC candidate’s team initially arrived to a warm reception from party officials, including governorship candidate Professor Terhemba Shija, the situation deteriorated within meters of the airport. Obi described the experience as “ridiculous” and “distressing,” emphasizing that his goal was to conduct a civil visit to offer condolences to affected families rather than engage in partisan confrontation.
Conflicting Claims on Security and Protocol
The Benue State government has categorically rejected allegations that its officials or state-sponsored thugs were involved in the blockade. Solomon Iorpev, the State Commissioner for Information, stated that the government was not informed of the visit through official channels. “High-profile persons, including former governors and presidential candidates, are expected to follow established protocol by notifying the state government,” Iorpev noted, arguing that without a formal notification, the state could not guarantee security for the candidate.
Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, further dismissed the candidate’s claims, suggesting the incident might stem from internal party politics within the NDC. As reported by the BBC, the state government asserted that a large youth gathering was already occurring in the 23 local government areas of the state, which may have coincided with Obi’s movement, and characterized the accusations as an attempt to unfairly implicate the governor.
Democratic Rights and Political Stance
In response to the disruption, Obi’s running mate, Rabiu Kwakwanso, criticized the blockade as a “dark day for democracy,” asserting that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of movement to all citizens. The Obidient Movement also issued a statement condemning the obstruction, noting that the blockade near the Makurdi airport intentionally halted the candidate’s planned engagements across the state.
Obi used the moment to call for restraint, urging young Nigerians not to serve as instruments for the political elite. He specifically requested that the Inspector General of Police and relevant security agencies intervene to ensure that all political candidates can move freely throughout the country, regardless of regional political affiliations.