Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has condemned the blockade of the convoy of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by youths in Benue.
Keyamo said the incident, regardless of the circumstances surrounding it, was unacceptable in a democratic society and that every political candidate should be allowed to move freely and campaign without intimidation.
Obi was in Benue on Tuesday as part of his activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He was also scheduled to visit Yelewata to sympathise with victims of the June 2025 attacks in the community.
However, his convoy reportedly encountered a roadblock mounted by youths on the Makurdi-Gboko federal highway, a few metres from the airport.
The development reportedly caused traffic congestion as the youths occupied the highway and prevented movement along the road.
Speaking after the incident, Obi appealed to security agencies to intervene and ensure that political actors could move freely across the country.
He said his convoy was blocked by individuals shouting, ‘Peter Obi go back,’ while on its way to Yelewata.
Obi said, ‘It is ridiculous. Our experience this morning is very, very worrisome. We arrived Makurdi at 9 AM, but on our way to the Yelewata community, to console and show solidarity with the family affected by the killings of over 270 persons in that community, and support them in any way I can, only to be blocked by thugs shouting, ‘Peter Obi go back! Peter Obi go back!’
‘And I was wondering: are we still in Nigeria? Because, even with the campaign I have started, I should be able to move around freely. But we didn’t want to go on and cause confusion and possibly endanger the lives of other people, so I decided to remain as civil as possible.
‘I am using this occasion to appeal to the security agencies, the IG of police, and other agencies, to please intervene and be able to call various state governors to order. I was a state governor myself. This rascality cannot be allowed.
‘We cannot go on this way. This is unacceptable.’
Reacting in a post on his official X handle, Keyamo said the circumstances behind the protest should not determine whether the incident was condemned.
He said, ‘Whether the protest was as a result of internal squabbles within the NDC (as posited by the Benue State Government) or sponsored by the APC or any other rival party, this should not be part of our democracy.
‘Some have also accused Obi of attempting to whip up fresh emotions by attempting to visit Yelwata, where the unfortunate killings happened more than a year ago, just for political reasons, hence the blockade.
‘That is still not acceptable; everyone should be allowed to move about freely and play their politics without such crude interference.’
The minister, however, used the incident to criticise what he described as partisan reporting of political confrontations involving candidates of different parties.
According to him, incidents involving APC candidates are sometimes portrayed as evidence of public rejection, while similar incidents involving opposition politicians are described as attacks by sponsored thugs or hoodlums.
‘Just check most headlines today. This is what is unacceptable,’ Keyamo said, urging the media to maintain fairness and neutrality in its coverage of political activities.
He added that politicians and their supporters should express their preferences through the ballot rather than violence.
‘The Press must extricate itself from such partisanship and be fair to all. Whoever is angry at any candidate of any political party should display the anger with the ballot paper on voting day by a simple thumbprint, not by violent acts during campaigns,’ he said.