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Says act has deprived Yelewata of relief
The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Benue State for the 2027 election, Herman Hembe, has strongly condemned the attack on Mr Peter Obi by individuals alleged to be state-sponsored thugs in Makurdi, Benue State.
Obi, the presidential candidate of the NDC, was on his way to Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area of the state to sympathise with residents following the gruesome killing of their loved ones last year when he was reportedly blocked by irate youths on Tuesday.
Hembe said Peter Obi, like other concerned citizens and political leaders, was lawfully present in Makurdi and travelling to Yelewata on a humanitarian visit to sympathise with victims and their families and to donate relief materials to people in need of assistance.
Hembe said: “Attacking and blocking his way and preventing such humanitarian assistance cannot simply be dismissed as politics.
“It is an act of wickedness that ultimately punishes the very people who are already suffering and prevents them from receiving help from individuals who are willing to provide it.
“It is important to note that the Benue State Government, under Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has placed significant restrictions on access to IDP camps, reportedly requiring individuals and organisations seeking to visit the camps with relief materials to undergo interviews and complete extensive paperwork at the SEMA office before embarking on journeys, sometimes over 20 kilometres or even farther, to reach the affected communities.”
According to him, the bureaucratic hurdles and restrictions have discouraged many well-meaning individuals and organisations from extending humanitarian assistance to displaced persons.
He said that, at a time when people are suffering and desperately in need of support, every unnecessary barrier should be removed rather than strengthened.
He stated: “Politics is necessary in a democracy, but politics must never be allowed to take precedence over the lives and welfare of people who are in desperate need of help.”
He appealed to Governor Alia not to allow politics to overshadow what he described as the better side of his humanity as a Reverend Father, adding that he should not allow the slogan, “No Alia, No Benue,” to influence his actions.
He observed that: “Political office is temporary. He will eventually complete his tenure and leave office, but Benue State will remain, and its people will continue to live with the consequences of the decisions made today.”
Hembe also called on all political parties, leaders and stakeholders to unite in condemning the incident, saying: “Benue State belongs to all of us, and no individual or political group should claim greater ownership of the state than others.
“Yesterday, it was Senator Orker Jev in Buruku. Today, it is Peter Obi in Makurdi. Who knows who may be next?
“We must not allow political differences to turn Benue into a place where legitimate political actors, humanitarian workers or concerned citizens are attacked for attempting to reach and assist vulnerable people.”
He commended Peter Obi for exercising restraint and acting responsibly in the face of provocation.
“His restraint helped prevent a situation that could have resulted in the spilling of innocent blood.
“Benue needs healing, compassion and responsible leadership, not more division, intimidation or violence.”
