Tension is mounting in Benue State, North-Central Nigeria as the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC accuses the State Government of plotting to disrupt the upcoming visit of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The visit, scheduled for Wednesday, November 11, is designed as a twin-track humanitarian and political engagement.
Obi is set to honor victims of the horrific Yelewata massacre and unveil the party’s strategic “Rescue and Reset Agenda” for the state.
Addressing newsmen at a media conference in Makurdi, the NDC governorship candidate, Professor Terhemba Shija, confirmed that all arrangements for the high-profile visit have been finalised.
According to Professor Shija, Peter Obi will lay a wreath at the memorial cenotaph dedicated to the 271 victims of the Yelewata massacre before holding private meetings with the bereaved families.
To avert friction, the party clarified that the presidential candidate will not visit any state-controlled government facilities or Internally Displaced Persons, IDP camps.
Instead, Obi will host a civic town-hall meeting at the Multi-purpose Hall of the Mission House, behind the Benue Links Headquarters in Wurukum, Makurdi.
Despite these measures, the NDC Governorship candidate alleged that state authorities remain hostile to Obi’s presence.
Recalling a previous incident in early September when violent disruptions forced the cancellation of Obi’s trip, Professor Shija accused state actors of sponsoring attacks to suppress opposition engagement.
He formally called on security agencies to guarantee total protection for Peter Obi, party leaders, and supporters during the visit.
The Benue State Government had previously denied any involvement in the disruption of the NDC Presidential Candidate’s botched September visit.
And the Benue State Government has dismissed the new allegations by NDC that it is planning to disrupt the planned visit of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the state.
The government described the allegation as false, baseless and politically motivated, insisting that Benue remains open and welcoming to all Nigerians, regardless of their political affiliations.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, November 10, and signed by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Solomon Iorpev, the State Government accused the NDC of making speculative claims to create a false impression of insecurity and potentially shift blame to the government in the event of any disruption.
The government maintained that Governor Hyacinth Alia has no reason to frustrate the visit, stressing that his administration remains focused on restoring security, rebuilding the state and delivering development projects.
It also cautioned against turning the Yelwata massacre into a political campaign platform, describing the tragedy and the suffering of affected families as sacred and deserving of respect.
The statement further assured that the government remains responsible for the safety of visitors and is taking necessary precautions to guarantee peaceful movement and interactions during the visit.
It urged NDC supporters and other political associates to conduct themselves peacefully, while calling on residents to disregard what it described as false information and go about their lawful activities without fear.
The government, however, warned that security agencies would deal firmly with anyone attempting to cause disorder, irrespective of their political affiliation.
The statement comes ahead of Peter Obi’s scheduled visit to Benue State on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, including a planned visit to Yelwata, where hundreds of people were killed in a deadly attack last year.
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(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
