LOKOJA, KOGI STATE — What was intended to be a high-profile political gathering of supporters and Obidient movement stakeholders in Lokoja on Tuesday, October 27, has devolved into a chaotic political scandal. Mrs. Blessing Martins, a prominent Obidient Movement woman leader in Kogi State has publicly called out High Chief Peter Ameh, accusing him of gross betrayal, financial abandonment, and putting her life and family in immediate peril.
According to Mrs. Martins, High Chief Peter Ameh’s calculated neglect left hundreds of grassroots supporters, market women, and logistics operators stranded without pay, sparking widespread anger and throwing local political structures into disarray.
The Last-Minute Call and Rush Budget
The controversy began on Sunday when Mrs. Martins noticed five missed calls from High Chief Peter Ameh—a figure she noted had maintained minimal contact with her since the 2023 elections. Upon returning the call, Ameh urged her to meet him immediately, revealing that presidential candidate Peter Obi (Oga) was scheduled to arrive in Lokoja for a major event on Tuesday.
When Mrs. Martins insisted on bringing her executive members, Ameh reluctantly agreed. At the meeting, Ameh reportedly tasked Mrs. Martins with organizing massive turnout on short notice:
“Blessing, you are a mobilizer; they know you. Mobilize people. Oga is coming on Tuesday.”
While drafting logistics and event budgets, Mrs. Martins and support group leaders outlined an estimated ₦4.7 million requirement to cover venue decorations, refreshments, printing, transport, and participant logistics.
Financial Squeezing and Unfunded Mandates
Despite the extensive scale of the required mobilization, Mrs. Martins revealed that Ameh systematically slashed approved line items while demanding full execution:
- Event Banners: After Mrs. Martins negotiated a printer’s fee down from ₦600,000 to ₦450,000, Ameh unilaterally slashed the allocation to ₦350,000. When questioned on who would cover the ₦100,000 shortfall for work already underway, he ignored the concern.
- Decoration & Refreshments: Similar arbitrary cuts were imposed on venue setup and drinks, forcing organizers to stretch minimal personal commitments.
- Transport Logistics: To mobilize a target crowd of 1,500 people across local government areas, Ameh sent a mere ₦32,000 for transport buses and ₦20,000 for printed programs—delivering the funds at 10:00 AM on the very morning of the event.
Driven by loyalty to the movement, Mrs. Martins and local coordinators relied on personal credibility, personally paying incoming attendees for Keke and Okada commercial transport at the venue entrance to ensure the hall was filled to capacity. Market women even abandoned their stalls for the day to participate.
The Vanishing Act and Mob Retaliation
Chaos erupted toward the conclusion of the program. Rather than utilizing coordinator tally sheets to disburse promised support funds smoothly, Ameh’s team insisted on individually counting thousands of attendees at the entrance, causing massive confusion.
As the town hall ended, Mrs. Martins repeatedly approached Ameh on the podium requesting logistics funds to pay the crowds. Ameh brushed off her requests, claiming a “committee” was handling disbursements, before leaving the venue under heavy security escort and disappearing entirely.
Shortly after, his designated representatives also fled under police protection, leaving Mrs. Martins trapped alone inside the venue with hundreds of unpaid, enraged attendees.
“They nearly killed me at that venue,” Mrs. Martins recounted. “If not for the venue manager and Civil Defence officers who sheltered me in an office and escorted me out, I wouldn’t have escaped.”
Upon attempting to trace Ameh to his residence, Mrs. Martins was informed he had already fled Lokoja back to Abuja. When she finally reached him by phone, Ameh reportedly denied owing anyone, claimed he spent his own money, and immediately blocked her line.
Listen to the Audio below of how everything went from Mrs Blessing Martins:
Hounded at Home and Political Fallout
By Wednesday morning, an angry mob of unpaid supporters and commercial drivers surrounded Mrs. Martins’ home, blocking her exits and demanding their money. She was forced to flee through a back door, leaving her unable to care for her children or return home.
Mrs. Martins has issued an urgent appeal to national movement leaders to call High Chief Peter Ameh to order, compel the release of trapped logistics funds, and restore integrity to the grassroots structures in Kogi State.
