A political storm has erupted following the reported obstruction of the convoy of 2027 presidential candidate Peter Obi during his visit to Benue State, with several social-media users accusing Governor Hyacinth Alia of using political influence to frustrate the opposition candidate.
The controversy followed an incident along Gboko Road, near the Nigerian Air Force Base and Makurdi Airport, where a group of youths reportedly barricaded the road as Obi and members of his entourage attempted to proceed into the state.
Videos and accounts circulating online showed protesters chanting that they did not want Obi in the area. Obi subsequently condemned the incident, describing the obstruction as unacceptable and warning against the use of political confrontation to prevent citizens from moving freely.
The incident has triggered intense criticism of Governor Alia, particularly because of his background as a Catholic priest before entering politics.
Several commentators questioned how a governor who was ordained as a Catholic priest could be associated, even indirectly, with an incident involving the alleged disruption of a political candidate's movement.
DonAza, in a social-media post, described Alia as a “fake Reverend Father” and accused the government of blocking Obi's movement during an election season.
The commentator also compared the development with the political environment of 2015, asking whether the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, would have been able to campaign freely if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government at the time had adopted similar tactics.
DonAza further argued that if the APC leadership and Presidency did not condemn the incident, Nigerians could interpret their silence as approval.
Other commentators went further, linking the incident to the governor's previous career in the Catholic Church.
Shehu Gazali Sadiq accused the governor of becoming an ally of people allegedly responsible for violence in Benue for political and financial reasons, while another post claimed that Alia had failed to protect residents from insecurity but had somehow been able to prevent Obi from moving freely.
Such statements, however, are political opinions and allegations circulating on social media and should not be treated as established facts.
There is also no independent evidence presented in the posts establishing that Governor Alia personally ordered an attack on Obi's convoy.
Obi himself condemned the obstruction and said his team deliberately avoided confrontation. “We did not proceed because we cannot behave as rascally as the government. We would have confronted them. I call on the government to stop this anarchy; it consumes everybody,” Obi was quoted as saying.
The NDC presidential candidate said his visit was connected to the humanitarian situation in Benue and that he intended to visit communities and victims affected by recent violence.
The confrontation therefore became particularly controversial among his supporters, who argued that political disagreements should not prevent a presidential candidate from visiting citizens in a state.
Several posts described the people who barricaded the road as “sponsored thugs” and alleged that they attacked Obi's convoy with weapons and damaged vehicles.
One social-media user, Esther Umoh, claimed that an aide to Governor Alia was present alongside the youths and alleged that security personnel failed to intervene while members of the convoy were attacked.
Another post claimed that one of Obi's vehicles had its headlight damaged.
These allegations have circulated widely, but the available accounts do not independently establish who organised the crowd, whether the youths were paid, or whether Governor Alia personally directed their actions.
The Benue State Government has previously denied involvement in the obstruction, with the governor's spokesman saying the administration had no reason to use thugs to stop Obi.
The controversy has now expanded beyond the immediate confrontation, with political commentators warning that incidents involving opposition politicians could have implications for Nigeria's 2027 elections.
Supporters of Obi have argued that allowing political supporters to physically obstruct opposition candidates creates a dangerous precedent, particularly at a time when political parties are beginning to intensify mobilisation ahead of the elections.
Some supporters also described the incident as a test of the opposition's ability to protect its political activities and supporters before election day.
Others have urged political actors to avoid retaliatory mobilisation, warning that responding to alleged political thuggery with more confrontation could escalate tensions.
The incident is particularly sensitive because Benue has continued to grapple with deadly attacks, displacement and insecurity in several communities.
Critics of the state government have therefore questioned why political disagreements should become a major point of confrontation when residents are already dealing with serious security challenges.
Supporters of Governor Alia, however, have rejected attempts to use the convoy incident as evidence that the governor supports violence or political thuggery.
For now, the central facts remain that a crowd reportedly barricaded the road during Obi's visit, his movement was disrupted, and the incident has generated a fierce political dispute.
The more serious allegations including claims that Governor Alia ordered, financed or directly coordinated the youths remain unproven.
With the 2027 presidential contest already taking shape, the Benue incident is likely to fuel further debate over political tolerance, freedom of movement and the conduct of campaigns as Nigeria approaches another election season.
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