President Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi
Presidency on Tuesday dismissed claims by Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, that suspected political thugs prevented him from visiting Yelwata community in Benue State, accusing the former Anambra State governor of seeking publicity.
Presidential spokesperson Daniel Bwala, reacting to Obi’s account in a post on his verified X handle, described the former Labour Party presidential candidate as someone who “loves content creation.”
Bwala also referenced Obi’s appearance at the inauguration of the national campaign office of NDC presidential candidate and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, arguing that some of Obi’s political actions had escaped public scrutiny.
He wrote: “He just loves content creation. As a presidential candidate of a party @saintdegenius, he attended a campaign flagging of another presidential candidate @seyimakinde. In that rally, he was shouting APM @AlliedPeoples (which is a political colloquialism meaning supremacy of the party mentioned) yet that contradiction did not make it to ‘stories trending’ on Arise News morning show. Why? Because it will portray @PeterObi as none other than a content creator candidate.
“Do you need a prophet to tell you……?”
How Governor Alia’s aide led thugs to obstruct my visit to Benue – Obi
Bwala’s remarks came shortly after Obi alleged that his convoy was stopped by suspected political thugs while on what he described as a humanitarian visit to Yelwata community in Benue State to sympathise with families affected by recent killings.
In a statement shared on his official X account, Obi said he travelled to Benue on Tuesday morning after attending the opening of Makinde’s national campaign office in Abuja a day earlier.
According to him, his attendance at the political event was intended to promote tolerance and healthy democratic engagement.
“Yesterday, I attended the opening of the national campaign office of an opposition presidential candidate, Governor Seyi Makinde in Abuja. My presence was intended to demonstrate that politics can and should be conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect and civility,” Obi said.
He added: “As Governor of Anambra State, I made it a point during electioneering to welcome visiting opposition members personally, provided they acted within the ambits of the law.”
Explaining the purpose of his Benue trip, Obi said: “Guided by that same commitment to decency over partisanship, I travelled to Benue this morning, arriving at approximately 9:00 a.m. on a purely humanitarian mission: to visit the grieving families affected by the horrific killings in Yelwata, where over 270 people were massacred.”
He alleged that his convoy was prevented from reaching the community.
“Regrettably, our convoy was prevented from proceeding to the community by thugs chanting, ‘Peter Obi, go back,'” he stated.
Describing the development as disturbing, Obi said: “It was deeply distressing to witness such hostility. I came to Benue not for partisan politics, but to mourn with our people, to listen to families who have lost loved ones, and to offer comfort at a moment of unimaginable sorrow. That a mission intended purely to show solidarity, compassion, and support could be obstructed in this manner is deeply alarming.”
The former Anambra governor urged Nigerians to put national unity above political interests.
“At a time when our nation should be united in grief and resolute in preventing further bloodshed, we must reject any action capable of deepening our divisions,” he said.
He added: “The people of Benue – and all Nigerians – deserve to sleep without fear. They deserve to travel without fear. They deserve to cultivate their land without fear. Above all, they deserve a country where the state places the protection of human life far above political expediency.”
Although he said he could not reach Yelwata, Obi maintained that he remained committed to supporting victims of violence and advocating stronger security measures.
“Although we were unable to reach the community today, our thoughts and prayers remain steadfastly with the victims, their families, and the entire Yelwata community,” he said.
“We shall continue to work until the primary responsibility of government – the safeguarding of every Nigerian life – is restored. Until then, we cannot truly say we have built the nation our people deserve.”
He concluded the statement with his signature message: “A New Nigeria is POssible.”
Benue Govt counters Obi’s claim
The Benue State Government has dismissed as “unfounded” Peter Obi’s claim that thugs working for the state government prevented him from accessing Yelewata to sympathise with families affected by the 2025 attacks.
In a statement signed by Governor Hyacinth Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the government described the allegation as “an unfounded and desperate attempt” to drag Governor Alia and the Benue people into what it called an internal political matter within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
The government said it had “no idea of what Mr. Obi is talking about,” insisting that Governor Alia is “a peace-loving Reverend gentleman” who “does not engage, patronize, or deploy thugs as instruments of governance or security.”
The statement also questioned why a presidential candidate would visit a state without formally notifying the relevant security agencies, noting that such visits ordinarily require security coordination with the police and other agencies.
The Benue Government maintained that if Peter Obi was facing disagreements within his party in the state, “those issues should be resolved within the party rather than being conveniently transferred to the State Government.”
It urged the public to disregard the allegations, stressing that “Benue remains open to legitimate visitors, political actors and all Nigerians who come in peace.”
