Sekinat Osundiji
One of the youth leaders of the Obidient Movement, Dr. Paul Moses, has said the controversy surrounding Peter Obi’s recent visit to Benue State should not be reduced to a political disagreement, insisting that the focus should be on the lives of Nigerians affected by violence in the state.
Moses made the remarks during an interview on ARISE News on Wednesday while speaking about the incident that prevented Obi from reaching Yelwata, where he had planned to meet victims of the killings.
According to Moses, Obi’s decision to pull back in the face of opposition demonstrated restraint and should form a major part of the conversation surrounding the incident.
“Leadership isn’t about showing who has the bigger crowd or the bigger force. It’s about the power of restraint,” Moses said.
He argued that attempts to frame the incident as a disagreement between political parties or personalities would distract from the more important issue of Nigerians who have lost their lives and those still living in affected communities.
“What they want the conversation to become is a banter between political parties, between personalities, but we’re not going to allow that to happen,” Moses said.
“We need to get down to the crux of the matter, which has to do with the value of the human lives that are involved.”
Moses, who said he was physically present during the visit, said the larger concern was Obi’s inability to freely reach people affected by violence despite his intention to engage with them.
He questioned how Nigeria could strengthen its democracy if access to communities affected by killings depended on the approval or goodwill of incumbent authorities.
“How do we build democracy where access to citizens, particularly those who have been slaughtered, killed, you know, without any roadblock, is now dependent upon the goodwill of incumbent authorities?” he asked.
Moses maintained that Obi’s visit should instead have sparked a broader conversation about political leaders visiting victims of violence, arguing that other presidential candidates should be equally challenged to undertake similar visits.
“The question or the debate should be challenging other presidential candidates to do the same, even if for politics,” he said.
“This is the kind of debate that we should be having.”
He questioned how political leaders could properly understand the situation in affected communities if they couldn’t physically visit and engage with victims.
“How do you understand the sovereignty of Nigeria when you can’t even visit with them and see what’s going on?” Moses asked.
The Obidient leader also rejected the suggestion that the incident should be viewed primarily through the lens of internal political disputes.
He said while disagreements within political parties were inevitable, the circumstances surrounding Obi’s visits to communities affected by violence went beyond party politics.
“Internal political parties’ issues will always be there. But this has nothing to do with that,” Moses said.
“I mean, in all cases, it has to do with the fact that Mr. Peter Obi wants to visit with victims or people or relate with people, and then deliberate attempts are being made to ensure that that doesn’t happen, and it’s a big concern.”
Moses also defended Obi’s previous humanitarian visits to Benue, explaining that the former Anambra governor had engaged directly with victims, traditional rulers and community officials.
He said the latest visit differed because political actors and Labour Party supporters were involved, making it necessary for the team to formally notify the police.
According to him, however, the fundamental right of Nigerians to move around the country should not be confused with the requirement to notify security agencies about political rallies or organised events.
“As a Nigerian citizen, the laws, the Constitution is there — you can visit, you can move, the right,” Moses said.
He added that Obi’s response to the confrontation showed the kind of leadership he believed should be encouraged.
Moses said the focus should ultimately remain on the victims and the need for Nigerians to have access to their fellow citizens during moments of crisis, rather than turning the incident into another political contest.
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