By Ovat Abeng
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, was on Tuesday obstructed by suspected political thugs in Benue State, preventing him and his delegation from reaching the Yelwata community on a scheduled humanitarian mission.
Obi, who disclosed the incident in a statement posted to his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, stated that his convoy was intercepted around 9:00 a.m. shortly after arriving in the state.
The former governor of Anambra State had set out to condole with victims and grieving families in Yelwata, where over 270 people were massacred.
According to the NDC flagbearer, the convoy was stopped by an unruly group chanting hostile slogans, including “Peter Obi, go back,” effectively bringing the visit to a halt.
Condemning the incident in his Tuesday post, Obi described the obstruction as alarming and emphasized that his presence in the state was entirely detached from campaign activities:
“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 solidarity at a moment of unimaginable pain,” Obi wrote. “It is most worrisome that a visit intended purely to show solidarity, support, and compassion… could be obstructed in this manner.”
Obi linked the situation to a broader need for political tolerance, noting that only a day earlier, he had attended the Abuja opening of the national campaign office of an opposition presidential candidate, Governor Seyi Makinde, to model mutual respect across party lines. Drawing on his record as Anambra State governor, he noted that he routinely welcomed opposition figures and protected their right to operate freely within the bounds of the law.
He further cautioned against weaponizing partisan hostility in the wake of human tragedy:
“At a time when our nation should be united in grief and determined to prevent further loss of life, we must avoid every action capable of deepening our divisions. Benue and the Nigerian people deserve to sleep without fear. They deserve to travel without fear. They deserve to farm their land without fear. Above all, they deserve to live in a country where the government places the protection of human life above every political consideration.”
Concluding his statement, Obi expressed ongoing solidarity with the Yelwata community despite the forced detour, reiterating that the NDC remains resolute in its mission to rebuild a nation where the fundamental security of every citizen is guaranteed.
