Suspected thugs have reportedly blocked the convoy of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), while he was attempting to enter Benue State.
The incident reportedly occurred along Gboko Road, where a group of stick-wielding individuals allegedly stopped Obi’s convoy and chased after the vehicles.
In videos shared on X on Tuesday by Esther Umoh, Obi’s photographer, the mob could be seen pursuing the NDC presidential candidate’s convoy along the road.
“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. This is not acceptable. We should be able to do politics without going this low,” Umoh said.
Speaking with TheCable, Tersoo Kula, chief press secretary to Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia, said he was unaware of the incident.
Kula also said the state government was neither aware of Obi’s visit nor involved in any act of thuggery.
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“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. I think it is just one of the lies they are trying to bring upon my principal,” Kula said.
Why I’m In Benue
Speaking with journalists after the incident, Obi said he travelled to Benue to sympathise with victims of insecurity and not for a political campaign.
“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. But you can see the level at which our politics has degenerated,” Obi said.
The former Anambra governor also explained that his attendance at the launch of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential campaign office in Abuja on Monday was part of his commitment to peaceful political engagement.
“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,” Obi added.