NDC accuses Benue govt of plotting to disrupt Obi’s visit

Terhemba Shija alleged that the state government planned to disrupt Peter Obi’s visit, a claim the government denied.

The Benue State governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Terhemba Shija, has accused the state government of planning to disrupt the visit of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the state.

He said Mr Obi would visit Yelewata, a community in Guma Local Government Area, where hundreds of people were killed in an attack in June 2025, to pay tribute to the victims and console their families.

Mr Shija said the former Anambra governor would lay a wreath at a cenotaph erected in memory of the victims along Lafia Road. He added that Mr Obi would not visit any government facility or internally displaced persons’ camp during the trip.

According to him, the presidential candidate would also hold a town hall meeting with residents at the multi-purpose hall of the Mission House, behind the Benue Links head office in Wurukum, Makurdi.

Mr Shija alleged that the state government had threatened to stop Mr Obi from visiting Yelewata, recalling an earlier incident in which the presidential candidate’s visit to the community was disrupted.

“This very government sent thugs of the infamous No Alia, No Benue to waylay, throw stones and stop President Peter Obi’s planned visit to Yelewata town two months ago,” he said.

He called on security agencies to protect Mr Obi and his supporters during the visit, while urging the government not to interfere with the party’s activities.

The NDC candidate also accused the government of tolerating armed groups allegedly targeting supporters of opposition politicians. He, however, said his party would not take the law into its own hands.

But the Benue State Government has described Mr Shija’s allegation as false and politically motivated.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Solomon Iorpev, said the government had no reason to prevent the presidential candidate from visiting the state.

“Benue is a land of hospitality, and every Nigerian is free to move within it, including those who seek our votes,” Mr Iorpev said.

He urged the NDC to ensure that its supporters conducted themselves peacefully, adding that the government was responsible for the safety of visitors to the state.

The commissioner also cautioned against using the 2025 Yelewata killings for political purposes.

“We mourn with the families of the victims every day. No one should turn that grief into a political stage, and no one should use a visit meant to console the bereaved as material for a publicity campaign,” he said.

Mr Iorpev warned that security agencies would deal with anyone attempting to cause disorder, regardless of their political affiliation.

The latest disagreement follows a reported incident on 8 September, when Mr Obi’s convoy was forced to turn back after suspected thugs and security operatives confronted it along Gboko Road in Makurdi.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the convoy was stopped near the Air Force Base shortly after arriving in the state. Videos obtained by the newspaper showed men carrying sticks, stones and other objects pursuing the vehicles as they turned back.

Mr Obi’s campaign photographer, Esther Umoh, alleged that the men were sponsored to prevent the presidential candidate from entering Benue.

Mr Shija also accused the state government of being behind the incident. The allegations had not been independently verified.

Mr Obi said he had intended to visit the state to show solidarity with communities affected by the Yelewata killings.

The September incident followed an earlier disagreement in April 2025, when Governor Hyacinth Alia warned Mr Obi against making what he described as an unscheduled visit to internally displaced persons in the state.

In a statement issued on 14 April 2025, the governor’s spokesperson, Tersoo Kula, said people planning to visit IDP camps were required to obtain approval from the Benue State Emergency Management Agency.

Mr Alia later defended the decision in an interview on TVC on 24 April 2025, saying high-profile visitors needed to inform the state government and comply with security protocols.

The latest exchange comes as political parties begin preparations for the 2027 general elections and amid continuing security challenges in parts of Benue State.