NDC Guber Candidate Alleges Plot to Disrupt Obi’s Benue Visit

The governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Benue State, Professor Terhemba Shija, has accused the state government of plotting to disrupt the planned visit of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Shija raised the allegation on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, while addressing journalists in Makurdi ahead of Obi’s scheduled visit to the state on Wednesday.

He alleged that the government had issued threats aimed at preventing Obi from visiting Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area, where hundreds of people were killed during an attack in June 2025.

According to Shija, Obi’s visit will combine humanitarian and political engagements. The former Anambra State governor is expected to pay tribute to victims of the massacre, lay a wreath at the memorial cenotaph along Lafia Road and meet relatives of those killed.

Obi is also scheduled to hold a town hall meeting with residents at the Mission House multipurpose hall in Wurukum, Makurdi.

Shija said the party had formally notified the state government and security agencies of the planned activities, insisting that the notification was intended to facilitate a peaceful visit rather than seek permission to conduct political engagements.

He called on the police and other security agencies to guarantee the safety of Obi and his supporters, while urging party members to remain peaceful.

The NDC candidate also recalled an earlier incident in September 2026, when Obi’s convoy was reportedly blocked by suspected political thugs as he attempted to visit Yelwata.

However, the Benue State Government rejected the allegation, describing it as false, baseless and politically motivated.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Solomon Iorpev, said the government had no reason to prevent Obi or any other Nigerian from visiting the state.

He maintained that the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia was focused on security and development, adding that the government had a responsibility to protect all visitors.

Iorpev also cautioned the NDC against turning the memory of the Yelwata victims into a political campaign platform.

The government urged the party’s supporters to conduct themselves peacefully and warned that security agencies would act against anyone attempting to cause disorder.

The disagreement comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with both sides offering contrasting accounts of the circumstances surrounding the planned visit.