Keyamo Condemns Peter Obi’s Benue Blockade, Accuses Media of Bias

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has condemned the reported blockade of Peter Obi by protesters in Benue State, saying politicians should be allowed to move freely and conduct their campaigns without interference.

Keyamo, in a statement posted on his official X account on Wednesday, also accused sections of the media of applying different standards when reporting confrontations involving candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition parties.

The minister said the reported incident involving Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), should be condemned regardless of whether the protesters were motivated by internal disagreements within the party or allegedly sponsored by political opponents.

“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.

He added: “Whether the protest was as a result of internal squabbles within the NDC (as posited by the Benue State Government) or sponsored by the APC or any other rival party, this should not be part of our democracy.”

Keyamo also rejected suggestions that the incident could be justified by claims that Obi was attempting to visit Yelwata, where killings occurred more than a year ago, for political reasons.

“Some have also accused Obi of attempting to whip up fresh emotions by attempting to visit Yelwata where the unfortunate killings happened more than a year ago just for political reasons, hence the blockade. That is still not acceptable; everyone should be allowed to move about freely and play their politics without such crude interference,” he said.

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The minister, however, used the incident to criticise what he described as partisan reporting by sections of the media, accusing them of portraying similar incidents differently depending on the political affiliation of the candidate involved.

“However, there is no better time to draw attention of Nigerians and the world to the spin that the partisan section of the media usually put to such incidents,” Keyamo said.

He claimed that confrontations involving APC candidates were often described by partisan media outlets as evidence of “rejection” by Nigerians, while similar incidents involving opposition politicians were reported 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’. Just check most headlines today,” he said.

Keyamo also criticised opposition leaders who, according to him, boast that APC candidates would face hostility in some parts of the country.

“In fact, many opposition leaders openly boasts that the APC candidates cannot go to some parts of this country and shout ‘APC!’ without being ‘stoned’, ‘beaten’ or molested, yet the partisan Press do not call out such leaders and even help to accentuate such statements,” he said.

“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 added.

Keyamo called on political actors and their supporters to channel their grievances through democratic means rather than violence during campaigns.

“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,” he said.