Use Ballot, Not Stones — Keyamo Tells Politicians, Supporters, Condemns Media’s Hypocritical Reporting

• Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has condemned the disruption of Peter Obi’s movement in Benue State, insisting that political grievances, whatever their source, must not be expressed through violence or attempts to prevent a candidate from freely moving around the country.

• Keyamo urged politicians and their supporters to settle their differences at the ballot box rather than on the streets, warning that anyone angry with a political candidate should express that anger through voting on election day, not through stones, clubs or other acts of violence.

• The minister accused sections of the partisan media of applying different standards to political violence, alleging that confrontations involving APC candidates are sometimes presented as evidence of public “rejection”, while similar incidents involving opposition politicians are described as attacks by “sponsored thugs” or “hoodlums”.

• Keyamo’s intervention followed Tuesday’s blockade of Obi’s convoy in Benue, which the state police confirmed while saying the motive remained unknown. The NDC accused the APC of mobilising the youths, an allegation the APC rejected, while the Benue Government reportedly offered a different explanation for the confrontation.

September 09, () — The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has condemned the disruption of the movement of the Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, in Benue State, urging politicians and their supporters to use the ballot box rather than violence to express political grievances.

Keyamo made the remarks in a statement posted on X on Wednesday, September 9, following Tuesday’s incident in which Obi’s convoy was blocked by youths along the Gboko-Makurdi Expressway while he was travelling to Yelwata in Guma Local Government Area.

Obi had travelled to Benue to visit Yelwata, where he was expected to commiserate with victims and families affected by the deadly June 2025 attack.

The incident attracted competing political claims, with the NDC alleging that the youths were mobilised to stop Obi from reaching the community, while the APC denied involvement.

The Benue State Police Command confirmed that youths blocked Obi’s convoy but said it had not established the reason for the blockade. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Orchia Aondongu, said police operatives provided security for Obi’s movement and that an investigation was underway.

Reacting to the development, Keyamo said the incident should be condemned irrespective of the identity or political affiliation of those responsible.

“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”, he said.

Keyamo said it was immaterial whether the protesters were acting as a result of internal disagreements within the NDC, as suggested by the Benue State Government, or whether they were sponsored by the APC or another rival political party.

He argued that neither circumstance could justify preventing a political candidate from moving freely and conducting political activities.

“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”, the minister said.

He also rejected the suggestion that Obi’s visit to Yelwata, more than a year after the deadly attack, could have been politically motivated in a manner that justified the blockade.

“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 stated.

The minister called on political actors and their supporters to channel anger against political candidates into democratic participation rather than violence.

He said voters dissatisfied with any candidate should wait until election day and use their votes to express their opposition.

“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”, Keyamo added.

The statement comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections and concerns grow over the conduct of political campaigns and the safety of candidates across the country.

Keyamo Accuses Media of ‘Hypocritical’ Reporting

Keyamo, however, extended his criticism beyond the incident itself, accusing sections of the media of applying what he described as inconsistent and partisan standards in reporting political confrontations.

He alleged that when angry crowds confront APC candidates, some partisan media organisations describe such incidents as evidence of “rejection” by Nigerians.

But, according to him, when opposition politicians are confronted by hostile crowds, similar incidents are immediately framed as attacks by “sponsored thugs” or “hoodlums”.

“There is no better time to draw the attention of Nigerians and the world to the spin that the partisan section of the media usually puts on such incidents. 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 an ‘attack’ by ‘sponsored thugs’ or ‘hoodlums’”, he noted.

Keyamo said such an approach was unacceptable and urged the media to apply the same standards when reporting political violence, regardless of the party involved.

The minister also criticised what he described as statements by some opposition leaders suggesting that APC candidates would face violence if they visited certain parts of the country.

He alleged that some opposition figures had openly boasted that APC candidates could not visit some parts of Nigeria and openly campaign without being “stoned”, “beaten” or otherwise molested.

According to him, such comments should attract the same condemnation as attacks on opposition candidates. He said the media should not amplify statements that could encourage political violence.

“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 concluded.