The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, was on Tuesday prevented from proceeding to parts of Benue State after a group of youths barricaded the road along Gboko Road, near the Nigerian Air Force Base and Makurdi Airport.
Videos from the scene showed a large crowd blocking the road and confronting Obi’s convoy as it attempted to proceed into Makurdi.
Reports said some of those in the crowd were carrying sticks, while protesters were heard chanting, “We don’t want Peter Obi.” The blockade reportedly disrupted traffic in the area and prevented Obi from reaching his intended destination.
Speaking at the scene, Obi alleged that the youths had been mobilised by an aide to Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The former Anambra State governor said he was in Benue to sympathise with families and communities affected by recent killings and not to conduct a campaign rally.
“I am here in a place where people have been killed. I am here to commiserate with them, but now I have been told that youths sponsored by the governor have blocked the road and made sure I do not go in,” Obi said.
He described the development as “totally unacceptable” and questioned why political differences should prevent a presidential candidate from visiting communities affected by insecurity.
Obi also criticised the alleged use of young people to obstruct political activities, arguing that many of those youths were themselves affected by poverty and insecurity.
“These youths are being used to do this,” he said, warning that the consequences of such political mobilisation could eventually affect those involved.
The Benue State Government has denied responsibility for the incident. Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Alia, said the state government was not aware of Obi's visit and rejected allegations that the governor or his administration deployed thugs to stop the presidential candidate.
According to Kula, the government would have no reason to use thugs to prevent Obi from entering the state.
“We are not aware whether he is in the state or not. If the Benue State Government is to stop anybody, including Peter Obi, why would the Benue State Government go and use thugs? Benue government doesn’t do that,” he said.
The Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has also denied involvement, according to reports.
Obi said his trip was intended to allow him to visit communities affected by recent violence, offer condolences and show solidarity with victims.
He maintained that his visit was not primarily a campaign activity.
“I am in Benue not for a campaign. I only wanted to go to a place where people lost their lives and console them, show solidarity with them,” Obi said.
He expressed concern that political disagreements were increasingly being allowed to overshadow humanitarian concerns and called for greater tolerance in Nigeria's political environment.
Reports said Obi had intended to proceed towards Yelwata in Guma Local Government Area, where communities have suffered deadly attacks and displacement.
The incident quickly triggered heated reactions on social media, with supporters of Obi accusing the Benue government and political opponents of deliberately attempting to frustrate his movement.
Some posts alleged that the youths were “sponsored thugs” and accused security personnel of failing to intervene.
Other commentators called for a stronger political response, while some warned that the confrontation could be a troubling sign ahead of the 2027 general election.
However, claims that the youths were paid, that specific government officials organised the mobilisation, or that Governor Alia personally ordered the alleged obstruction have not been independently established.
What is independently supported by multiple reports is that a crowd barricaded the road and that Obi's convoy was prevented from proceeding. Videos from the scene also show a group of people confronting the convoy.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about political tolerance as Nigeria moves toward the 2027 elections.
Obi urged Nigerians to reject politics based on confrontation and division, saying the country needed unity and responsible political engagement.
“We have no other country except this place, and we will build it on unity and love with a sense of doing the right thing,” he said.
The confrontation comes against the backdrop of persistent insecurity in Benue, where communities have continued to face deadly attacks and displacement.
For now, the competing accounts remain unresolved: Obi and his supporters have alleged political mobilisation behind the blockade, while the Benue State Government has denied involvement. No independent evidence has yet established that Governor Alia personally ordered the youths to obstruct Obi's convoy.
The incident nevertheless adds another layer of political tension to an already charged pre-election environment, with calls likely to grow for security agencies to investigate what happened and ensure that political candidates can move freely and campaign without intimidation or violence.
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