Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has condemned the reported blockade of Peter Obi’s convoy in Benue State, saying politicians must be allowed to move freely and campaign without intimidation or violence.
Obi was reportedly stopped by a group of youths from proceeding to Yelwata in Guma Local Government Area of the state, where he had planned to visit families affected by the deadly June 2025 attack in the community.
The incident has sparked controversy, with Obi and his party alleging that the protesters were sponsored. However, the Benue State Government denied involvement and said it was unaware of the planned visit.
The police in Benue confirmed that they were aware of Obi’s movement and had provided security for the visit. The command, however, said the reason the youths blocked the convoy was unknown and that the matter was under investigation.
The NDC described the incident as unacceptable, alleging that suspected hired thugs blocked Obi’s convoy and prevented him from accessing Yelwata.
Reacting to the development, Keyamo said the incident should be condemned regardless of the political affiliation of those responsible.
He said it was immaterial whether the protest resulted from internal disagreements within the NDC, as suggested by the Benue State Government, or was allegedly sponsored by the APC or another rival party.
Keyamo also rejected the argument that Obi’s planned visit to Yelwata could have been politically motivated, saying such a consideration should not justify preventing him from entering the community.
He said politicians should be free to move around and engage in political activities without crude interference.
The minister further accused sections of the media of applying different standards when reporting confrontations involving politicians.
According to him, incidents involving APC politicians are sometimes portrayed as evidence of public rejection, while similar confrontations involving opposition politicians are described as attacks by sponsored thugs.
Keyamo urged the media to apply the same standards to all political parties and candidates, regardless of their affiliations.
He also called on Nigerians to channel their political grievances through democratic means rather than violence, stressing that elections provide an opportunity for citizens to reject candidates peacefully.
“Whoever is angry at any candidate of any political party should display the anger with the ballot paper on voting day by a simple thumbprint, not by violent acts during campaigns,” Keyamo said.
About the Author
