Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has taken an unusually strong position against the disruption of Peter Obi’s political engagement in Benue State, saying no candidate should be prevented from moving freely because of political differences.
Keyamo’s intervention came after protesters reportedly stopped Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, from proceeding to the venue of his planned visit in the state on Tuesday.
The minister said the incident should be condemned regardless of who was behind it, including claims by the Benue State Government that the disruption was connected to disagreements within Obi’s party.
He also dismissed suggestions that Obi’s planned visit to Yelwata, the scene of deadly attacks in 2025, justified attempts to stop him.
“Yesterday’s report of the prevention of the Presidential candidate of the NDC, Mr. Peter Obi, by some angry protesters from proceeding to the venue of his visit in Benue State must be condemned by all men of goodwill,” Keyamo said in a post on X on Wednesday.
“That is still not acceptable; everyone should be allowed to move about freely and play their politics without such crude interference,” he added.
Beyond the Benue incident, Keyamo turned his attention to the way political confrontations are portrayed in the media, accusing some outlets of using different descriptions depending on the party involved.
He alleged that when an APC candidate encounters an angry crowd, some media reports portray the incident as evidence of “rejection” by Nigerians, whereas similar confrontations involving opposition politicians are described as attacks by “sponsored thugs” or “hoodlums.”
“Many a time when an angry crowd confronts or molests an APC candidate at any level, the partisan Press shamelessly dubs or spins it as ‘rejection’ by ‘Nigerians’. When it concerns the opposition, then it is ‘attack’ by ‘sponsored thugs’ or ‘hoodlums’,” he said.
Keyamo urged journalists to apply the same standards to all parties and candidates, warning that partisan reporting could further deepen political tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.
“What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. The Press must extricate itself from such partisanship and be fair to all,” he said.
The minister also criticised opposition politicians who, he alleged, encourage supporters to attack APC candidates in areas where the party has little support.
He maintained that voters should express their approval or rejection of candidates through their votes rather than violence.
“Whoever is angry at any candidate of any political party should display the anger with the ballot paper on voting day by a simple thumbprint, not by violent acts during campaigns,” Keyamo added.