By Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo has condemned the reported blockade of Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi in Benue State, while also accusing sections of the media of applying double standards in how they cover such incidents. Keyamo made the comments in a statement sent to media houses Wednesday, calling for politicians of every stripe to be allowed to campaign and move freely without intimidation.
What happened in Benue
Obi was reportedly stopped by a group of youths from proceeding to Yelwata in Guma Local Government Area, where he had planned to visit families affected by the deadly June 2025 attack on the community, one of Benue’s deadliest incidents in recent years, with reported deaths exceeding 100. The blockade has triggered a dispute over who was responsible. Obi’s party alleges the protesters were sponsored, while the Benue State Government has denied any involvement and said it wasn’t aware of the planned visit. Police in Benue confirmed they knew about Obi’s movement and had arranged security for it, but said the motive behind the blockade remains unclear and is under investigation. The NDC has called the incident unacceptable, alleging that hired thugs prevented Obi from reaching Yelwata, where he intended to commiserate with affected families.
Keyamo’s response
Keyamo said the incident deserves condemnation regardless of who was behind it. “Yesterday’s report of the prevention of the Presidential candidate of the NDC, Mr. Peter Obi, by some angry protesters from proceeding to the venue of his visit in Benue State must be condemned by all men of goodwill,” he said. He dismissed the relevance of competing theories about the protest’s origin, whether it stemmed from internal NDC disputes, as the Benue State Government has suggested, or was orchestrated by the APC or another rival party. “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,” he said.
He also rejected the argument that Obi’s visit may have been politically motivated and that this somehow justified blocking him. “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,” he said.
A broader complaint about media coverage
Keyamo used the incident to raise what he described as a pattern of inconsistent media framing depending on which party is involved. “There is no better time to draw the attention of Nigerians and the world to the spin that the partisan section of the media usually puts on such incidents,” he said, arguing that confrontations involving APC figures often get framed differently from similar incidents involving the opposition. “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 an ‘attack’ by ‘sponsored thugs’ or ‘hoodlums’,” he said.
He pushed for consistent treatment across party lines, pointing to what he called open boasting by some opposition figures about APC candidates being unable to campaign safely in certain areas without facing violence, without facing media scrutiny for those claims. “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,” Keyamo said.
A call for peaceful political expression
Keyamo closed by urging Nigerians to channel political frustration through voting rather than confrontation. “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,” he said.
