By Steve Oko
UMUAHIA — Former Senate President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Adolphus Wabara, has condemned the reported attack on and obstruction of the convoy of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, in Benue State.
Wabara described the incident as an affront to Nigeria’s democracy, warning that the growing resort to intimidation and violence in political engagements poses a serious threat to the country’s democratic future.
According to him, while political disagreements are inevitable in a democracy, they should be resolved through debate, persuasion and the ballot box rather than thuggery, obstruction or physical attacks on political opponents.
The former Senate President said no Nigerian, regardless of political affiliation, should be prevented from moving freely across the country to canvass for votes and engage with citizens.
He urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate the incident, identify those responsible and ensure that the law takes its course.
Wabara warned that failure to act could embolden perpetrators and further entrench political violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He also called on political parties and their supporters to respect the democratic rights of their opponents, stressing that Nigeria belongs to all citizens and not to any political party or interest group.
Wabara expressed solidarity with Obi and urged Nigerians to reject attempts to turn political competition into a contest of violence and intimidation.
“The ballot box, not the street, must determine who leads Nigeria. Any attack on a political candidate is an attack on the democratic rights of Nigerians who support that candidate.
“What happened in Benue is therefore an affront to our democracy and must not be allowed to become the new normal,” Wabara said.
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