Presidential Candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has condemned the blockade of the convoy of former Governor of Anambra State and Presidential Candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, during his visit to Benue State on Tuesday.
Obi was in the state for his political campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election, and to pay a visit to the Yelewata, where he was billed to meet and commiserate with victims of the June 2025 attacks.
However, trouble started a few meters away from the airport when his convoy ran into a full roadblock on the two-lane Makurdi-Gboko federal highway by the angry youths.
The blockade led to traffic congestion as the road was closed to all users while the police did little to disperse the youths from the highway.
Reacting to the development, a statement issued by Makinde’s Special Adviser (Media and Digital Communication), Anthony Ehilebo, on Wednesday, described the incident as “deeply disturbing”.
“We strongly condemn the unwarranted obstruction of the convoy of the Presidential Candidate of Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), former Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi, during his visit to Benue State on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
“The incident, in which Mr. Obi’s convoy was obstructed by a group of suspected state sponsored thugs on his way to Yelwata to visit families affected by the tragic killings in the area, is deeply disturbing, totally unacceptable, and marks a new low in the desperation by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to stifle opposition leaders ahead of the 2027 general elections”, the statement read in part.
It noted that the “targeted attack” came barely 24 hours after Obi joined other notable opposition leaders to show solidarity with Makinde, at the inauguration of the Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Office on Monday, September 7th 2026.
“Expectedly, the ruling APC, overburdened by the sad reality of marketing an unpopular President Tinubu to Nigerians, is seriously afraid and completely rattled by the latest political developments hence the resort to barbaric tactics, including intimidation, harassment and unlawful obstructing of legitimate activities of opposition parties and leaders.”
Makinde referenced Section 41(1) of the 1999 Constitution that guarantees every citizen of Nigeria the freedom to move around the country or reside in any part thereof.
He also stated that Section 40 of the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to freely assemble and associate.
“We therefore find it completely unacceptable and condemnable, the statement credited to the Benue State Government, that the NDC Presidential Candidate did not seek prior permission from the state government before his visit.
“Let us make it clear: every Nigerian, whether presidential candidate or not, has a constitutionally guaranteed right to enter, live, and move freely within any state in Nigeria to conduct his or her legitimate activity without any prior permission or notice”.
Makinde stated that setting up roadblocks and engaging thugs to stop opposition candidates have no place in a constitutional democracy.
“We therefore demand that the Nigerian Police immediately commence a full-scale investigation into this unfortunate incident and bring the culprits to book, in the overall interest of our democracy.
“As a Campaign, we remain committed to a peaceful electoral process, but it is important to state that we shall not be deterred nor cowed by the antics of those who seek to make peaceful participation impossible”, the statement added.
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