Peter Obi’s Benue Visit: Govt Finally Reveals Its Side
The Benue State Government has explained its position after Peter Obi’s convoy was disrupted during his visit to the state on Tuesday.
The government said Obi failed to formally notify the state ahead of his arrival, making it difficult to coordinate adequate security arrangements.
Commissioner for Information, Solomon Iorpev, disclosed this while responding to the incident involving the former Anambra governor.
According to Iorpev, Obi’s status as a former governor and prominent political figure required the state government to receive prior notice.
He said such notification would have enabled authorities to make appropriate arrangements for Obi’s safety during his movement within the state.
“A high-profile person who has been a former governor of a state is coming into the state; he should have written a letter,” Iorpev said.
The commissioner maintained that the government could not guarantee Obi’s protection because no formal communication had been received before the visit.
“We are supposed to guarantee his safety and protection, but in an instance where no letter was written, we could not guarantee his safety,” he added.
Iorpev also questioned Obi’s decision to visit without informing the authorities, accusing him of repeatedly creating situations that could cause tension.
“This is not the first time he is doing this. He is just looking for our trouble,” the commissioner said.
He, however, said he could not identify those responsible for blocking Obi’s convoy or establish whether they acted deliberately.
Iorpev explained that Obi’s visit coincided with a meeting involving youths from all 23 local government areas of Benue.
He said youths travelling from places including Tarka, Gboko, Buruku, Ushongo, Konshisha and Vandeikya were converging around the same period.
“If they were coming from either Tarka, Gboko, Buruku, Ushongo, Konshisha or Vandeikya at the same time of his visit and blocked the road, it is unfortunate,” he said.
“I do not know the youths who did that,” Iorpev added.
The commissioner stressed that Benue remained peaceful and hospitable, despite the disruption surrounding Obi’s movement through the state.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, has remained a prominent opposition figure since contesting the 2023 presidential election.
His political activities have continued to attract attention as parties and politicians gradually position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The latest incident has also renewed questions about security coordination during political visits and the responsibilities of state authorities toward visiting public figures.
