The convoy of Peter Obi, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), was on Tuesday intercepted and blocked by suspected political thugs as he attempted to enter Benue State.
According to reports, the hostile crowd mounted a stiff blockade along the Airport-Gboko road, insisting that the opposition flagbearer should not be permitted to step foot into the state.
Speaking at the scene in a video that quickly circulated on social media, Obi clarified that his journey into Benue was strictly humanitarian.
He stated that he had travelled a long distance specifically to visit victims of recent killings and offer his condolences, rather than to engage in political campaigns.
However, the NDC candidate revealed he was abruptly stalled after being informed that local youths had been mobilised to block the route.
He alleged that the disruption was orchestrated under the direct orders of a government Special Assistant (SA), accusing local authorities of orchestrating the blockade to achieve political ends.
Condemning the incident, Obi decried the action as utter political rascality that has no place in a democratic society.
He expressed deep concern over the growing trend of exploiting vulnerable, hungry, and insecure youth for partisan hostility without any regard for the dangerous future consequences of such actions.
“The rascality they are bringing into this country is totally unacceptable. People are being killed every day in Benue. People want to show that they are with them, and I came here all the way this morning, a long distance, only to be told what you are seeing here,” Obi stated.
Meanwhile, local police authorities have confirmed awareness of the incident and stated that investigations are currently underway.
