Chinedum Treasure
The Anambra State Obidient Movement has demanded urgent action from the Federal Government, security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to guarantee a safe and equal playing field for all candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections, following the reported blockade of Peter Obi’s convoy in Benue State.
The movement warned that the reported incident was a troubling indication of the political tension ahead of the elections and urged authorities to ensure that intimidation, thuggery and violence do not become tools for determining who can campaign, travel or engage with voters.
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), was reportedly on his way to Yelwata in Benue State on Tuesday to sympathise with communities affected by deadly violence when his convoy was stopped along Gboko Road in Makurdi.
Videos from the scene showed a crowd blocking the road, with reports that some protesters chanted, “We don’t want Peter Obi.”
The police later confirmed that youths had blocked the convoy but said the reason for the action was unknown, adding that an investigation was underway.
Reacting to the development, the Anambra Obidient Movement described the incident as disturbing and warned that political intimidation must not be allowed to become a defining feature of the 2027 electoral process.
The position was contained in a statement issued after a meeting of the State Executive of the movement in Awka, Anambra State, on Tuesday.
The statement was jointly signed by Chief Comrade Charles Obiora Anueyiagu, Lead Coordinator, and Comrade Edwin Utazi, Secretary of the Obidient Movement in Anambra State.
The group said the incident should not be dismissed as another political confrontation, particularly against the backdrop of growing concerns over political intolerance and violence ahead of the 2027 elections.
“No electoral victory is worth the blood of a Nigerian. No political disagreement justifies an attack on another citizen,” the statement said.
The Anambra Obidient leadership said political intimidation posed a threat not only to candidates but also to every Nigerian seeking to exercise the constitutional right to participate in the democratic process.
It stressed that allegations of political sponsorship surrounding the incident should be properly investigated rather than treated as established facts.
However, the group maintained that anyone found to have organised or participated in unlawful obstruction or violence should be held accountable under the law.
“We demand accountability. We demand equal protection under the law. We demand a political environment where every Nigerian can choose freely without fear,” the statement declared.
The movement called on the Nigeria Police Force, the Benue State Government and other relevant security agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
It also urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to resist the temptation to use youths as instruments of political confrontation.
According to the group, Nigeria’s political future must be defined by policy debates, persuasion and peaceful competition rather than road blockades, threats and violence.
“Elections are contests of ideas, policies and competing visions for the future. They must never become contests of intimidation, road blockades, threats or physical violence,” the statement said.
The Anambra Obidient Movement further called on the Federal Government, security agencies and the electoral umpire, INEC, to work towards creating a safe and equal playing field for all candidates participating in the 2027 general elections.
The movement said every candidate, regardless of political affiliation, should be able to campaign, engage with citizens and participate in legitimate political activities without fear of intimidation, obstruction or violence.
It warned that if a presidential candidate could be prevented from moving freely during a political or humanitarian engagement, the development raised serious questions about the safety of ordinary Nigerians who do not have access to the level of security available to political figures.
The group therefore urged all stakeholders to reject the normalisation of political thuggery and take concrete steps to protect the integrity of the electoral process before the 2027 polls.
“Enough of political thuggery. Enough of intimidation. Nigeria must choose democracy over violence,” Anueyiagu and Utazi declared.
Also speaking after the meeting, a stakeholder in the Anambra Obidient Movement, Mr. Paul Chuks Umenduka, urged political actors across the country to refrain from actions capable of triggering political violence ahead of the general elections.
Umenduka said the road to 2027 must be defined by ideas, issues, accountability and persuasion.
“Political disagreements must be settled through democratic means rather than intimidation or violence,” he said.
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