According to a report by Daily Post on Thursday, July 16, 2026, Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 general election, Peter Obi, has alleged that there was a plot to assassinate him during a planned humanitarian visit to Benue State in April 2025.
Obi made the allegation while speaking at a high-level roundtable discussion titled “Nigeria in 2027 and Beyond,” organised by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) in Berlin, Germany. The event brought together policymakers, diplomats, development experts, business leaders and international stakeholders to discuss Nigeria’s political future, democratic development and economic prospects.
The former Anambra State governor said he had intended to embark on a humanitarian outreach to communities affected by insecurity in Benue but cancelled the trip after the state government issued a statement advising him not to visit.
According to Obi, the warning from the Benue State Government was followed by a violent incident, which reinforced his belief that his life was in danger.
“You are not aware that I wanted to go to Benue and the governor said I couldn’t come. You are not aware that the governor warned me not to come, and when I went there, there was a shootout. There were plans to assassinate me,” Obi said.
He questioned why his claims should be dismissed despite what he described as clear warning signs.
“What else do you need? Do you need somebody to die before you believe it? There was already a shootout when I tried to visit the place. Once they said, ‘Don’t come here,’ what else do you want me to tell you about the attempt on my life?” he asked.
Obi expressed disappointment with the manner in which the Benue State Government handled the proposed visit, maintaining that his intention was purely humanitarian and aimed at supporting victims of insecurity.
His latest remarks come barely a week after he raised broader concerns about his personal safety ahead of the 2027 general election. During an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Obi claimed that the Federal Government had been frustrating his activities and warned that he might not be alive to contest the next presidential election if the current trend continued.
The Presidency, however, has rejected those allegations. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga described Obi’s claims as unfounded and misleading, insisting that the Tinubu administration was focused on governance and had no interest in targeting opposition figures. He also dismissed allegations that the government was orchestrating intimidation against the former governor.
The alleged assassination plot is the latest in a series of security concerns raised by Obi in recent weeks. His media office had earlier alleged that there were coordinated efforts to frustrate his political activities ahead of the 2027 elections, claims that have continued to generate debate across the country’s political landscape…See_More
Leave a Reply