The Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has confirmed that his team was attacked in Benue State on Tuesday, saying his visit to the state was not for political campaigning.
Obi and his entourage had just arrived in the state capital and were en route to their destination when demonstrators intercepted them along Boko Road, near the Air Force Base, in an apparent bid to deny the opposition leader entry into the state.
A video of the incident, which has since gone viral on social media, shows the crowd occupying the center of the road, chanting, “We nor want Obi,” while armed security agents stood by.
Addressing journalists shortly after the incident, Obi debunked speculations that his visit was politically motivated, clarifying that he was in Benue State on a humanitarian visit to condole with victims of a recent attack
According to him, he had travelled to Benue to sympathise with people affected by recent violence and express solidarity with them.
“Today, I’m in Benue, not for campaign. I only wanted to go to a place where people lost their lives, and condole them, show solidarity with them,” Obi said.
He condemned the state of political affairs in the country and appealed for a change in the way political activities are conducted.
“But as you can see, the level in which our politics has deteriorated,” he said.
Obi said his appeal for more peaceful and inclusive politics informed his decision to attend an event organised by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Abuja on Monday, where the party’s presidential campaign office was launched.
“That was why yesterday, I joined the APM family, with the presidential candidate, in launching his office, and used that to plead with people, let our next politics be a politics of unity, a politics of love, justice, and shared sense of being safe,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor stressed the need for Nigerians to work together to build the country, regardless of political differences.
“All I can say to you is that we have no other country, we have no other country except this one, and we will all build it based on unity, based on love, and shared sense of doing the right thing,” Obi said.
He added: “Everybody knows what is happening in this country.”
The suspected thugs blocked access to a road near the Air Force Base in Benue as Obi’s convoy attempted to proceed into the state.
Videos circulated on social media among which were from Obi’s official campaign photographer, Esther Umoh on X, showed men carrying what appeared to be clubs, sticks and other objects pursuing the convoy, while a group of police officers appeared to stand between the men and the vehicles.
The convoy was subsequently seen turning back from the area.
Obi’s comments came a day after he attended the commissioning of the APM presidential campaign office in Abuja alongside the party’s presidential candidate and other political figures.
At the event, Obi had called for political actors to promote unity, love, justice and peaceful political engagement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
His visit to Benue was, according to his explanation, intended to be a humanitarian and condolence visit rather than a campaign activity.
The incident comes a year after the state governor Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia stopped the former Anambra Governor from entering the state saying he would not be to guarantee his safety.
