Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, has broken his silence on why his planned visit to Benue State was cancelled.
In a statement on Monday, Obi said he would have refrained from commenting, having endured far more challenging situations in his political journey.
However, he noted that recent events have compelled him to speak out and address the issue.
According to him, he had scheduled visits to Plateau and Benue States as part of his ongoing outreach efforts, aimed at supporting internally displaced persons (IDPs) and promoting health and education initiatives.
The visits, planned for Sunday, 13th April, in Plateau and Monday, 14th April, in Benue, were to include courtesy calls on the state governors, visits to IDP camps, and interactions with institutions such as schools of nursing.
Obi recounted that, as is his customary practice, he reached out to the Plateau State Government to notify them of his intended visit.
He disclosed that the Plateau State Governor had welcomed him and provided all necessary support, allowing him to spend meaningful time with the victims at the Bokkos IDP camp.
However, he painted a different picture regarding his efforts to reach the Benue State Governor.
The former Anambra State Governor explained that despite several attempts, he was unable to establish direct contact with the Benue State Governor.
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He eventually succeeded in speaking with the governor’s aide-de-camp (ADC), who informed him that the governor was engaged in an important meeting but promised to return his call before midnight.
Mr. Obi stated that this promised call never came, and days later, the ADC messaged him, claiming he had been unable to reach the governor – a situation Mr. Obi described as deeply troubling.
Undeterred, Mr Obi decided to proceed with his trip to Makurdi, viewing his visit to the governor as a matter of courtesy rather than necessity. Departing Jos at 7am on the day of the planned visit, he received an unexpected development while en route.
Upon reaching Akwanga at about 10am, his security team intercepted a press statement, reportedly issued by the Benue State Government, effectively halting his visit. Curiously, while he was still discussing the matter with his team, the Governor’s ADC forwarded the same statement to him directly.
