In a statement issued Tuesday, Tersoo Kula, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, dismissed the allegation as baseless and described it as an attempt to involve Alia and the state government in what he called an internal political issue within the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
“We wish to strongly deny that Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia’s government has any knowledge of what Mr. Obi is referring to," Kula stated.
The government clarified that Alia was not involved in the incident and emphasized that his administration does not utilize, endorse, or deploy thugs as part of governance or security measures.
They also noted that if Obi raised any security concerns, it would be the responsibility of recognized security agencies, not political thugs, to address the situation.
Furthermore, the government questioned why Obi visited Benue without officially informing the relevant authorities, pointing out that such a visit by a presidential candidate typically requires coordination with police and other security agencies.
Obi’s team contested this, stating that security agencies had been notified of his visit. Additionally, the Benue State Police Command confirmed awareness of Obi’s movement and provided security for his convoy, but the reason behind youths blocking the road remains unclear and is currently under investigation.
Obi explained that his convoy was halted by youths shouting “Peter Obi, go back” while on his way to Yelewata to express sympathy for families affected by the 2025 massacre.
He described the visit as humanitarian and chose not to force his way through the blockade, fearing it could endanger others.
The Benue government urged the public to ignore allegations linking the Alia administration to the blockade, affirming that the state remains open to legitimate visitors and political actors who come peacefully.
Conflicting accounts have emerged over who organized the blockade and whether the government was officially notified of Obi’s visit, with police investigations ongoing.
Post a Comment