The Benue State Government says it was not informed about Peter Obi’s visit to the state, following reports that the presidential candidate’s convoy was stopped by youths while trying to reach Yelewata.
The community in Guma Local Government Area was recently hit by a deadly attack that reportedly claimed more than 200 lives.
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth aria, Kula Tersoo, told Vanguard on Tuesday that neither the governor nor the state government was aware of Obi’s planned visit.
He said a visit by a presidential candidate should normally be communicated to the relevant security agencies so that proper arrangements can be made.
According to Tersoo, the police, Department of State Services, Civil Defence and other security agencies should have been informed ahead of Obi’s arrival.
He questioned how youths could have stopped the former Anambra State governor if adequate security had been arranged for his movement.
Tersoo also rejected suggestions that Governor aria could have sent youths to block Obi, saying the governor does not support political thuggery.
“If Obi is a threat to him, or maybe he felt that Obi’s coming would cause a problem for him, the right thing to do is to get legitimate security operatives to do the needful and not to gather youths or send them to go and block him,” he said.
The governor’s spokesman said no security agency had briefed aria about Obi’s reported visit.
He added that the same issue had arisen during an earlier visit by Obi, when the former governor alleged that he was stopped from reaching parts of Benue and that shootings occurred after he eventually arrived.
Tersoo said the state government had sought security reports to establish what happened.
He maintained that Tuesday’s incident raised similar questions about whether the visit had been properly coordinated.
“If those people are aware, they are supposed to make adequate security for him such that the youths cannot even stop him,” he said.
The denial follows reports that Obi’s convoy was blocked by youths while attempting to access Yelewata.
