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BENUE GOV, REV FR HYACINTH ALIA, BLOCKS PETER OBI’S PLANNED VISIT TO IDPS: OBI REACTS – I HAVE ENDURED WORSE SITUATION
The Benue State Government on Monday blocked a planned visit by Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr Peter Obi, to camps housing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
Obi, whose post-election activities have prominently included humanitarian outreach to victims of violence across the country, was said to have planned a visit to some of the IDP camps in Benue.
The former Anambra State governor, in recent weeks, visited IDP camps in Plateau, Southern Kaduna and Nasarawa states, meeting with displaced families, donating relief materials and advocating for urgent government intervention.
His visit to Plateau State drew national attention after he held talks with Governor Caleb Mutfwang and visited victims of herdsmen attacks.
According to reliable sources, Obi’s team had reached out to the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) through its Executive Secretary, Sir James Iorpuu, to officially notify the agency and seek access to designated camps for the visit.
However, it appears the move has sparked a political storm within Benue’s corridors of power.
Top government officials reportedly advised Governor Alia against granting Obi access to the IDP camps, citing political undertones.
The visit, they argued, could be perceived as a calculated move by former Governor Samuel Ortom, a staunch supporter of Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election, to revive his political relevance and embarrass the current administration.
Beyond the Ortom factor, sources also revealed that the decision to stop Obi’s visit was influenced by wider political calculations.
“It is believed that allowing Obi access at this time could fuel ongoing speculations that Governor Alia is considering leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) amid tensions with some national leaders of the party.
“The governor is very conscious of his relationship with the Presidency and party hierarchy. Allowing Obi’s visit would not only trigger local political drama with Ortom but might also be interpreted in Abuja as a subtle alignment with the opposition at a time when Alia is battling internal party issues. This is not the kind of message he wants to send to the President.
“Such an association, especially with a high-profile opposition figure like Obi, could be politically damaging for Alia, who has been working to consolidate his hold on the state and maintain good standing with President Bola Tinubu’s administration,” a source said on Monday.
It would be recalled that in the February 25, 2023 presidential poll, Obi pulled a stunning performance in Benue State, securing over 308,000 votes, a figure that shocked many given the dominance traditionally enjoyed by the two major parties – APC and PDP.
His victory in the state was largely attributed to the support of Ortom and a groundswell of youth-driven, faith-based and middle-class backing.
Following this backdrop, sources disclosed that Governor Alia was convinced by his inner circle to forestall Obi’s visit to avoid reigniting political rivalries or offering Ortom and the Labour Party a platform to reassert influence in the state.
As a result, the governor reportedly instructed his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, to issue a public statement cautioning against what it described as “unapproved high-profile visits” to the state.
“For anyone considering a visit to Benue State without the Governor’s knowledge, it is imperative to reconsider such plans, as the safety and security of individuals in this regard cannot be guaranteed,” he warned.
Though the statement fell short of directly naming Peter Obi, insiders confirmed that it was a veiled warning aimed at dissuading the former presidential candidate from proceeding with his proposed outreach.
One government source, speaking anonymously, said, “The governor is not comfortable with Obi’s visit, especially with the political undertones it carries.
“The camps are a sensitive issue and we cannot allow anyone to politicise the suffering of our displaced people.”
However, a source close to the former governor disclosed that the visit was purely humanitarian and part of Obi’s ongoing national outreach to communities affected by violence and displacement.
In his reaction Peter Obi asserted that the treatment meted out to him by the Benue State Government over his planned visit to camps housing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state calls for a need to change his approach in responding to issues in politics.
Obi, who has been actively engaged in humanitarian outreach to victims of violence across Nigeria, had planned to visit the IDP camps in Benue.
The former Anambra State governor has previously visited camps in Plateau, Southern Kaduna, and Nasarawa states, where he met with displaced families, donated relief materials, and advocated for urgent government intervention.
Obi’s visit to Plateau State attracted significant national attention after he met with Governor Caleb Mutfwang and visited victims of herdsmen attacks.
However, his proposed visit to Benue has sparked a political storm within the state’s corridors of power.
In a statement via his 𝕏 handle on Monday evening, April 14, 2025, Peter Obi stated that he had endured worse situations in his political career since the declaration of his presidential ambition.
Peter Obi said he had tried to reach the Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, but it was unsuccessful.
The former Governor of Anambra State noted that his scheduled visit was abruptly stopped after his security team informed him about the decision of the State Government.
The statement read, “Ordinarily, I would not have commented on this issue, as I have endured far worse situations in my political life since I declared for the presidency, and it continues to worsen as I strive to do things in a civilised and organized manner.
The unfolding events demand that I have to start speaking out now.
“On what transpired today during my planned visit to Benue State, I am not entirely sure that the state Governor, my dear younger brother, a Reverend Father I deeply respect, is aware of this situation. Having exhausted every possible means to reach him, I am compelled to use this available platform to ensure my message is conveyed.
“On Thursday, the 10th of April, I had planned to visit Plateau and Benue State, respectively. Plateau on Sunday, the 13th of April 2025, and Benue on Monday, the 14th of April 2025. My trip included paying courtesy calls to the governors as well as visiting the IDP camps and schools of nursing in both states to give my support.
“As is my practice, I reached out to the Plateau State government to inform them of my visit, which included spending the day with the victims at the IDP camp in Bokkos, a visit I wholeheartedly embraced to extend my support, care, and compassion to fellow Nigerians in need. And in his utmost hospitality, the Plateau State Governor graciously permitted.
“In a similar vein, I tried repeatedly to contact the Benue State Governor directly without success. I then successfully contacted his ADC who told me that the governor was in a very important meeting and would call me before midnight on the same day.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t get that call until Sunday evening when he sent me a message stating he had not been able to reach his principal since the day I called. I was disturbed by how an ADC would not have been able to reach his principal for three days.
“However, because my visit to the governor was just for courtesy and respect, I decided to proceed with my trip to Makurdi. Earlier today at 7am, I left Jos, and on reaching Akwanga at about 10am, my security team stopped and stated they received a press statement, purportedly from the Benue State Government, that appeared designed to stop my trip. Curiously while I was still talking with my security team on the issue, the Governors ADC sent the statement directly to me. The letter refers exactly to my itinerary which I had earlier conveyed to the ADC directly and to the security operatives in Benue through my own security.
“I am forced to remind them, and all concerned, that the purpose of this journey is to support good causes in areas of critical development: health and health education, education and caring for our people in need, and this is what I have done in my private life for years before getting into politics and even while in politics I have continued to do so.
“Everyone knew then how I had to get permission from the then President, President Goodluck Jonathan, that I needed to visit Haiti during the earthquake. I intended to visit a school being built by the bishop in Gboko, a Nursing school and an IDP camp, actions that reflect my genuine care for the welfare of our fellow citizens, and my continuous show of love, care and compassion to citizens who have been displaced.”
