Who Is Frustrating Obi's Campaign Train?

It is sad, disturbing and utterly disappointing that Nigeria's democratic journey is once again being threatened by the ugly politics of intolerance, intimidation and hostility. Even more disturbing is the apparent determination of some individuals and political actors to frustrate the political activities of Peter Obi as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

Democracy is not a private estate belonging to those who currently wield political power. Neither is Nigeria a country where individuals or groups can determine which politician is free to campaign, where such a politician can visit, and how supporters of different political persuasions should express their preferences.

The disturbing developments in Benue State, Calabar and, earlier, Benin City raise serious questions about the political culture being nurtured in the country. They also provoke a fundamental question: Who is uncomfortable with Obi's campaign train, and why should a politician seeking the mandate of Nigerians encounter hostility simply because he wants to interact with the electorate?

Is Obi's intimating political profile so unsettling to some individuals that they consider obstructing his movements an acceptable political strategy?

These are questions that deserve honest answers. While responsibility for individual acts must be established through proper investigation, the recurring incidents should not be dismissed as ordinary disagreements among political supporters.

Consider what happened in Benue State in September 2026. Obi was scheduled to visit the state, partly to identify with communities affected by the killings in Yelwata in 2025. Rather than enjoy an unhindered visit to a state whose residents had experienced tragic insecurity, his convoy was reportedly confronted by suspected thugs along Gboko Road in Makurdi.

According to reports, the convoy was stopped near the Air Force Base by a group of men carrying what appeared to be clubs, stones, sticks and other dangerous objects. Videos circulating online reportedly showed the men pursuing the vehicles and throwing objects at them. The convoy eventually turned back.

The incident was particularly troubling because it was not the first time Obi's planned visit to Benue had encountered difficulties. In April 2025, Governor Hyacinth Alia had warned him against proceeding with a planned visit to internally displaced persons without the state's knowledge and necessary clearance, citing security and protocol concerns.

To be fair, the governor denied that his position was politically motivated. He maintained that his responsibility was to protect the displaced persons and ensure compliance with established procedures. That explanation deserves acknowledgement. However, it does not erase the broader concern about the ease with which opposition politicians can undertake legitimate political and humanitarian engagements in a democratic society.

The Calabar incident of Wednesday, November 4, 2026, has made the situation even more disturbing. Unlike some previous incidents in which the circumstances surrounding alleged attacks remained subjects of competing accounts, this latest development has produced a police-confirmed arrest.

Obi had arrived in the Cross River State capital alongside his wife, Margaret, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, for a presidential town hall meeting at Metropolitan Hotel. His convoy was reportedly moving through the metropolis amid cheers from supporters when suspected political thugs ambushed it around the popular Watt Market area.

The attackers reportedly hurled stones, bottles and other dangerous objects at the vehicles and supporters. Some of them were also seen in a viral video wielding machetes and smashing windscreens and side mirrors of vehicles in the convoy.

The attack threw the area into panic as supporters, passersby and roadside traders scampered for safety. Commercial activities and vehicular movement were disrupted, while several supporters reportedly sustained injuries. Vehicles and other valuables were also damaged.

More disturbing were reports that a victim sustained a gunshot injury to the leg. One of Obi's media aides, Esther Umoh, had raised the alarm on her official X account, writing: "Thugs are trying to attack our convoy." She subsequently shared a short video showing an injured victim being evacuated from the scene, attributing the injury to a stray bullet.

However, the response of the Cross River State Police Command deserves acknowledgement. Its operatives intervened, dispersed the attackers and restored order. More importantly, the police confirmed the arrest of a 27-year-old suspect identified as Victor Edet Yellow-Duke.

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, confirmed that the suspect had been apprehended and that investigations had commenced to identify other individuals involved in the attack and their alleged sponsors.

This is a significant development. The arrest should not be treated as the end of the matter. Nigerians deserve to know whether the suspect acted alone or as part of a coordinated operation. The identities of those who allegedly organized, financed or encouraged the violence must be established if evidence supports such allegations.

The police must also investigate the reported injuries, including the alleged gunshot injury, and ensure that anyone found culpable faces the full weight of the law.

Interestingly, despite the attack, Obi proceeded to the town hall meeting. Speaking to supporters and stakeholders hours after the incident, he recounted how his security personnel had advised him to take another route after he saw people running and realized that the assailants were armed with machetes and other dangerous objects.

He reportedly wondered aloud whether such a situation should be happening in Nigeria, adding that the country must not allow political violence to undermine the 2027 elections.

His determination to continue with the engagement, despite the frightening experience, should not, however, be interpreted as a reason to trivialize the danger he and his supporters faced.

And then there is Benin City, Edo State. On February 24, 2026, Obi and other political figures, including Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, reportedly escaped an attack by armed hoodlums following an event at a political organisation's secretariat in Benin City.

The gathering was organized to receive former Edo governorship candidate, Olumide Akpata, into the organization. According to reports, the attackers invaded the secretariat and subsequently trailed the politicians to Oyegun's residence, where gunshots were reportedly fired. Vehicles were damaged, although no lives were lost.

The police confirmed the invasion of the secretariat, while Obi's media aide and other political figures reported the subsequent attack on the convoy and residence.

Taken together, the incidents in Benin, Benue and Calabar paint an unsettling picture of the security challenges confronting political participation in Nigeria. They also raise questions about whether political intolerance is gradually becoming an accepted feature of our electoral culture.

One wonders what those responsible for creating an atmosphere of hostility around Obi hope to achieve. Do they imagine that obstructing his movements will diminish his political appeal? Do they believe that throwing stones, smashing vehicle windscreens, wielding machetes, blocking roads or mobilizing hostile crowds will make Nigerians abandon their political convictions?

If anything, such conduct could achieve the opposite of what its perpetrators intend. There is a fundamental difference between political competition and political intimidation. Competition requires politicians to present their programmes, defend their records, convince voters and persuade Nigerians that they deserve the mandate to govern. Intimidation, on the other hand, suggests an inability or unwillingness to engage opponents through democratic means.

Those who aspire to lead Nigeria should understand that political leadership begins with respect for the rights of fellow citizens, including those who disagree with them. Nobody should have to secure the approval of hostile political supporters before exercising constitutionally guaranteed freedoms.

The relevant security agencies must rise to the occasion. Their responsibility is to protect everyone, irrespective of political affiliation or persuasion. They must investigate these incidents, identify those responsible where evidence establishes culpability and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.

There is something fundamentally wrong with a political culture in which supporters regard an opponent's presence in their state as an affront. A state belongs to all Nigerians. Its roads, public spaces and communities are not political possessions to be defended against visitors who hold different opinions.

The 2027 general election should be an opportunity for Nigerians to assess the performance of political actors and candidates. Those seeking another mandate should be prepared to defend their records, while those offering alternatives should be free to present their proposals.

If Obi has a message for Nigerians, let him deliver it. If his opponents have better messages, let them take those messages to the electorate. Nigerians should be allowed to listen to all sides, examine the arguments and make their choices at the ballot box.

After all, elections are not won by preventing opponents from speaking or moving around. They are won by convincing voters.

It is therefore sad that, at a time when Nigerians desperately need responsible leadership and a more mature political culture, some individuals appear more interested in frustrating their opponents than engaging them on issues of national importance.

Those who resort to political intimidation should remember that power is transient. The same democratic freedoms they seek to deny their opponents today may become the very freedoms they will need to enjoy tomorrow. As the Bible reminds us in Galatians 6:7, whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap.

Nigeria cannot afford a democracy in which the freedom to campaign depends on the whims of hostile individuals or groups. Obi, like every other aspirant, must be free to travel, engage citizens and canvass for votes without intimidation.

The Nigerian electorate, not political thugs, should decide who deserves the nation's highest political office. That is what democracy means. Anything short of it is a dangerous descent into political intolerance.