NEWS
Keyamo Condemns Disruption of Peter Obi’s Benue Visit, Calls for Political Tolerance Ahead of 2027
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has condemned the disruption of a planned visit to Benue State by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, describing the incident as unacceptable and contrary to the principles of democracy.
Keyamo’s reaction followed the disruption of Obi’s movement to Yelwata, a community that has been affected by deadly attacks, during the presidential candidate’s visit to Benue State on Tuesday.
Obi had planned to proceed to the community to assess the situation and engage with residents following the attacks, but his convoy reportedly encountered protesters who blocked his movement and prevented him from reaching his intended destination.
The incident has generated political reactions, with questions being raised over the identity and motivation of those behind the protest. While the Benue State Government reportedly attributed the development to internal disagreements within the NDC, allegations have also emerged suggesting that the protesters may have been sponsored by political opponents.
However, Keyamo said the circumstances surrounding the protest should not distract from what he described as the fundamental right of every Nigerian to move freely and participate in political activities without intimidation or physical obstruction.
“Whether the protest was as a result of internal squabbles within the NDC, as posited by the Benue State Government, or sponsored by the All Progressives Congress, APC, or any other rival party, this should not be part of our democracy,” he said.
The minister acknowledged that political opponents could question Obi’s intentions for visiting Yelwata, particularly if they believed the visit was politically motivated. Nevertheless, he maintained that such concerns could not justify preventing a presidential candidate or any other political actor from visiting a community.
According to him, Nigeria’s democratic system must guarantee political actors the freedom to campaign, travel across the country, visit communities and interact with citizens without being subjected to physical confrontation or intimidation.
“That is still not acceptable; everyone should be allowed to move about freely and play their politics without such crude interference,” he said.
Keyamo’s comments come as political activities gradually intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with major political parties and presidential hopefuls already stepping up consultations, grassroots engagements and visits across the country.
The minister also broadened his criticism to sections of the Nigerian media, accusing some news organisations of applying different standards when reporting incidents involving politicians from opposing political camps.
He argued that when supporters or crowds confront candidates of the APC, such incidents could sometimes be portrayed as evidence of widespread public rejection, whereas similar confrontations involving opposition politicians were more readily described as attacks allegedly carried out by sponsored thugs or hoodlums.
“When it concerns the opposition, then it is ‘attack’ by ‘sponsored thugs’ or ‘hoodlums’. Just check most headlines today,” Keyamo said.
He further alleged that some opposition politicians had previously made statements suggesting that APC candidates could face attacks if they visited certain areas or openly associated themselves with the ruling party.
Keyamo questioned what he considered an insufficient response from sections of the media to such statements, urging journalists to maintain objectivity and apply the same standards to all political actors, regardless of their party affiliation.
“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,” he said.
The minister stressed that the responsibility for maintaining a peaceful political environment extends beyond political parties and their candidates, arguing that supporters, journalists and members of the public also have important roles to play in ensuring that political disagreements do not degenerate into violence.
He urged supporters of all political parties to exercise restraint and resist the temptation to confront opponents physically, particularly as campaigns and political mobilisation increase ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, Nigerians who are dissatisfied with any candidate or political party have a constitutional avenue to express their disapproval through the ballot box rather than through violence, intimidation or disruption of political activities.
“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 added.
The minister’s position adds to growing calls from political stakeholders for greater tolerance and restraint as Nigeria approaches another highly competitive election cycle, with stakeholders increasingly concerned that political rivalry could translate into confrontations at the grassroots.
The Benue incident has therefore renewed debate over the need to protect freedom of movement, peaceful political engagement and citizens’ right to associate with candidates of their choice, irrespective of political affiliation.