Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has condemned the reported obstruction of Peter Obi’s convoy in Benue State, warning that political disagreements must not degenerate into violence or intimidation.
Obi, a presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), was in the state on Tuesday as part of his activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He was also scheduled to visit Yelewata, a community affected by the deadly attacks of June 2025.
His convoy reportedly encountered a crowd of youths, along the Makurdi-Gboko Hghway, resulting in a blockade of the road and significant traffic disruption.
Reacting to the incident, Keyamo said such actions were unacceptable in a democratic society, regardless of who was behind the protest or the reasons for it.
He argued that whether the incident resulted from internal disagreements within the NDC, political sponsorship by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), or any other group, political candidates should not be prevented from moving freely or carrying out lawful campaign activities.
Keyamo also dismissed suggestions that Obi’s planned visit to Yelewata should be considered politically inappropriate because of the sensitivity surrounding the 2025 killings.
According to the minister, Nigerians who disagree with a political candidate should use legitimate democratic channels to express their opposition rather than resorting to confrontation or violence.
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He further called on the media to maintain balance in reporting political conflicts, cautioning against narratives that portray similar incidents differently depending on whether the politician involved belongs to the ruling party or the opposition.
Keyamo maintained that all presidential candidates must be given a level playing field to campaign freely, while urging Nigerians to settle political differences through the ballot box.
Meanwhile, the Benue State government has denied any involvement in the reported blockade.
The government, through the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, Tersoo Kula, described allegations that state-backed thugs were responsible for obstructing Obi’s movement as unfounded.
It maintained that the governor had no reason to deploy thugs against Obi and stressed that legitimate security concerns involving political candidates should be addressed by recognised security agencies rather than unofficial groups.
