NDC Fumes as Police Cancel Obi-Kwankwaso March in A’Ibom

NDC members protested the cancellation of an Obi-Kwankwaso march in Akwa Ibom, citing financial losses and political concerns.

Damilare Adebayo · October 2, 2026 · 66

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and supporters of the Obi-Kwankwaso movement have expressed anger following the cancellation of a planned two-million-man solidarity march in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The march, organised in support of NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, was scheduled to hold on October 1 as part of activities marking Nigeria’s Independence Day.

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command directed political parties, groups and associations to reschedule all rallies, meetings, processions and other political activities approved for the day.

The police said the decision was based on intelligence indicating that some individuals could exploit political activities to cause disturbances and threaten public peace. The command also cited concerns about having enough personnel to provide security for a large gathering.

The State Director of the Obidient Movement, Benjamin Smith, criticised the decision, saying the group had already spent more than N20 million mobilising supporters across the state’s 31 local government areas.

Smith said the organisers had met with the police on September 29 over security arrangements for the proposed march. According to him, the police explained that the force lacked sufficient personnel to secure a gathering of such size, particularly as another political rally had already been scheduled in the state.

He described the cancellation as an afterthought and questioned why approval for the event had earlier been granted before being withdrawn.

The NDC and the movement also raised concerns about the impact of the decision on the right to peaceful assembly.

Meanwhile, the organisers urged supporters to remain law-abiding and said a new date for the march would be communicated.

The police directive applies to political rallies, meetings and processions across Akwa Ibom State that had been scheduled for October 1, rather than only activities organised by the NDC or the Obi-Kwankwaso movement.