Minister of Aviation and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Festus Keyamo, has condemned the blockade of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by angry youths in Benue State on Tuesday.
Obi was in the state as part of his political campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He was also scheduled to visit Yelewata to meet and sympathise with victims of the deadly attacks that occurred in the community in June 2025.
However, tensions escalated a few metres from the airport when Obi’s convoy encountered a roadblock mounted by youths on the two-lane Makurdi-Gboko federal highway.
The development caused significant traffic congestion, as the highway was reportedly blocked to other road users, while police personnel made little effort to disperse the protesters.
Reacting to the incident, Obi urged young Nigerians not to allow themselves to be used as political tools by the ruling class, which he blamed for the difficult economic conditions facing citizens.
Keyamo, in his reaction, said the obstruction of Obi’s movement should be condemned regardless of the political circumstances surrounding the incident.
“Whether the protest was as a result of internal squabbles within the NDC (as posited by the Benue State Government) or sponsored by the APC or any other rival party, this should not be part of our democracy.
“Some have also accused Obi of attempting to whip up fresh emotions by attempting to visit Yelwata where the unfortunate killings happened more than a year ago just for political reasons, hence the blockade.
“That is still not acceptable; everyone should be allowed to move about freely and play their politics without such crude interference.
“However, there is no better time to draw attention of Nigerians and the world to the spin that the partisan section of the media usually put to such incidents.
“Many a time when an angry crowd confronts or molests an APC candidate at any level, the partisan Press shamelessly dubs or spins it as ‘rejection’ by ‘Nigerians’. When it concerns the opposition, then it is ‘attack’ by ‘sponsored thugs’ or ‘hoodlums’.
“Just check most headlines today. This is what is unacceptable. In fact, many opposition leaders openly boasts that the APC candidates cannot go to some parts of this country and shout ‘APC!’ without being ‘stoned’, ‘beaten’ or molested, yet the partisan Press do not call out such leaders and even help to accentuate such statements. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander.
“The Press must extricate itself from such partisanship and be fair to all. 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 in a post on his official X account.
Benue Government Denies Role in Blockade
The Benue State Government has denied allegations by Obi that individuals linked to the state government were responsible for blocking his access to Yelewata.
In a statement issued by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the government described the allegation as unfounded and denied any involvement in the incident.
The state government said Obi’s claim appeared to be an attempt to drag Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Benue State Government into what it described as a possible internal political dispute within the NDC.
