The political temperature in Benue State has notched up a few more degrees as the state government issues a firm, unambiguous directive to presidential hopeful Peter Obi, insisting that any future visit must be formally communicated to Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The flare-up follows a tense episode last week where Obi’s convoy was blocked and forced to turn back by agitated youths along the Makurdi-Gboko Expressway while attempting a humanitarian condolence trip to Yewalta to visit victims of past communal attacks. While Obi’s party and security documentation showed the Benue State Police Command was notified ahead of time, Aso Rock and Makurdi figures have pushed back hard on the optics and protocol of the trip.
Weighing in on Obi’s public declaration that he would return to the state regardless of the hostility, Benue State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Solomon Iorpev, stated that the government harbors no personal vendetta against the former Anambra governor, but demanded basic institutional courtesy.
“We are not against anyone, including Peter Obi, visiting Benue State, but as a man of his status he should follow due process by writing officially to Governor Hyacinth Alia before coming. The governor will provide adequate security for him,” Iorpev remarked.
The controversy has split legal and political observers. While constitutional purists and Senior Advocates argue that freedom of movement grants any citizen the right to traverse the country without seeking a governor’s permission—only requiring notification as a politically exposed person .the state administration maintains that dropping the ball on direct gubernatorial heads-up leaves security agencies scrambling in a volatile region. As Obi prepares his next move, all eyes remain fixed on Makurdi to see whether protocol will pave the way or if political friction will dictate the next encounter.
