BREAKING: Peter Obi didn’t inform me he was coming to Benue – Alia

The Benue State Government has said it was not informed of the visit of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, to the state on Tuesday.

Obi was in Benue for engagements and a planned visit to Yelewata, where he was expected to meet families affected by the deadly June 2025 attack.

His convoy was, however, blocked by some youths along Gboko Road in Makurdi, preventing him from proceeding to Yelewata.

Reacting to the incident, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, Tersoo Kula, said the state government had no prior knowledge of Obi’s visit.

“We are not aware of his coming to the state, and if it were to be security agents that stopped him, it would have been easy for us to find out what happened.

“As presidential candidate of a party and former governor, he is a property of the Federal Government and ought to have been given security. Where are those security agents around him? And if he is going to any state, the security of the host state should know so as to provide security for him,” Kula said.

The governor’s spokesman also rejected suggestions that the youths who blocked Obi’s convoy were acting on behalf of the state government.

According to him, the Alia administration does not patronise thugs, adding that there was no reason for the government to consider Obi a threat.

“We were surprised that youths would stop someone. Youths cannot do anything on behalf of government. Our government doesn’t patronise thugs and, in any case, Obi is not a threat to the governor.

“We are not aware that Obi is coming to Benue. I am hearing it from you,” he added.

Meanwhile, the NDC governorship candidate in Benue State, Prof. Terhemba Shija, said security agencies were formally notified of Obi’s visit.

Speaking by telephone, Shija said Obi was heading to Yelewata to meet families of those killed in the June 2025 attack, adding that the police and Department of State Services, DSS, provided personnel for the visit.

“Is Obi not a presidential candidate? INEC has lifted the ban on campaigns and we duly informed the police and DSS about his visit to the state. They deployed police and DSS to be with us,” he said.

Asked whether the state government was formally informed, Shija questioned whether a presidential candidate needed permission from the government before visiting the state.

“But government is aware that INEC has lifted the ban on campaigns. Do we need to take permission from a candidate?” Shija asked.

He described the blockade as “a demonstration of fear, a clear show that Obi is the man to watch.”

“He has come just to see families of victims of Yelewata. Why should somebody stop a legitimate candidate after he has officially given notice to the CP and DSS?” he added.

The Benue State Police Command has also confirmed that it was aware of Obi’s movement and provided security for the visit.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Orchia Peter Aondongu, said the reason the youths blocked the convoy remained unknown.

“We can confirm that the Police are aware of the incident involving Peter Obi’s movement to Yelwata. Police operatives provided security for the movement.

“The reason the convoy was blocked by some youths is still unknown. We are monitoring the situation and investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Further updates will be provided accordingly,” Aondongu said.