The national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress,, (NDC), and former governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has condemned the attack on the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in Benue State, describing it as “criminal” and “rascality of the highest order” and calling for punishment of those responsible.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, Senator Dickson said said the incident was intolerable and sent a dangerous signal at a time when political campaigns had officially commenced, warning that no Nigerian should require permission to visit or participate in activities in any state.
“This happening while campaigns have officially started, that sends a very dangerous signal. The point has to therefore be made clearly that this is not only condemnable, this is criminal. This is rascality of the highest order, and this is intolerable. There has to be punishment for this.
“No Nigerian citizen, by our constitution and our laws, needs anyone’s permission or approval to visit a state. And more so, you’re dealing with a presidential candidate—a high-profile personality, at a period of political campaigns, you stop the man with thugs? No, that is not encouraging.”
Also condemning the actions of the Benue State governor, Hyacinths Alia, Dickson said governors, regardless of their political affiliations, have a constitutional and national responsibility to protect all Nigerians and ensure that every citizen can freely enter and participate in legitimate political activities within their states.
“When you are a governor of a state, you are not just a governor of a political party. You are not even just a governor of a state, even though theoretically you are. You also have, in addition to all of this, a duty and a responsibility to the entire country, and to all those that come to your state. Even as opposition governors, we had a tradition where we go, even give venues to opposition parties.”
On the allegation of the Benue State Government’s involvement in the incident, Dickson said the governor must take responsibility for events within the state, stressing that the responsibility of a governor goes beyond personal or partisan political interests.
“First of all, the governor has to take responsibility for what goes on. As a governor, you must make a distinction between your personal political interest and your party and so on, and the higher values.”
.Dickson also dismissed the Benue State Government’s claim that it was unaware of Obi’s visit, saying the NDC had formally notified the state Commissioner of Police ahead of the engagement. He explained that once the Commissioner of Police is informed of the visit of a high-profile political figure, it becomes the responsibility of the state security apparatus to notify the governor and make the necessary security arrangements.
“Once the Commissioner of Police is notified, you have notified the government. Because it is the duty of the Commissioner of Police now, at that point, to inform the governor, the security details, and all others. So, it doesn’t have to be the governor himself. But once the Commissioner of Police of the state is notified, it is now the duty of the state security apparatus to process it and make the relevant and appropriate arrangements, even if the governor is not personally informed.”
Arguing that Obi’s status as a presidential candidate makes his movements a matter of state interest, Dickson said security arrangements were necessary regardless of whether the visit was for campaigning, humanitarian activities or a private engagement, insisting that the NDC had done the right thing by officially notifying the Commissioner of Police.
“Even if he was going to see a friend, even if he was going to just attend a wedding or attend a burial, because he’s now a presidential candidate, his security is a matter of state interest. And once the Commissioner of Police is notified, the party and Peter Obi have done the right thing, what has to be done. I would have been concerned if there was no such information. So it’s not a secret, they didn’t just sneak in. No, no, no, it was official, there was an official communication. The right thing was done,” he insisted.
The NDC national leader said the arrests made by the police and intervention of the DSS were welcome, but stressed that the authorities must go beyond arrests to conduct a thorough investigation and prosecute those found culpable.
He also called for an investigation into allegations that some government officials were involved in the incident, saying Nigerians deserved to know the extent of any official complicity and see appropriate legal action taken.
“It’s good that the DSS stepped into what they do. Our officers in Benue called to explain that the Commissioner of Police has made some arrests, those that have been brought in. The Commissioner of Police has done what has to be done.
“But beyond this, we’ve got to see prosecution. We’ve got to see a detailed investigation, and we’ve got to see the extent of complicity of people who are in a position. Because there’s an allegation, for example, that some officials were part of it. Nigerians need to know if that is true, and we see the outcome of the investigation, and then we see prosecution.”
Warning that the incident could set a dangerous precedent ahead of the 2027 elections, Dickson urged the Inspector-General of Police, Attorney-General of the Federation and President to intervene before political campaigns intensify. He said failure to decisively address such incidents could encourage young people to mobilise thugs against opposition politicians, potentially worsening the country’s national security situation even before the elections.
“And like I said, beyond that going on, the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Mr. President ultimately need to weigh in before we go on campaign, so that you see young, unemployed, angry, misguided young people do not see this as a precedent where they now say, ‘Oh, it happened in Benue, nothing happened.’ And if you see that happening on a large scale, it means that even before the election and whatever crisis that has to be prevented, you’ll have a lot of crisis even before then. It will complicate the national security scenario.
Addressing the broader decline in political standards in Nigeria, the veteran politician attributed it to poor leadership, weakening values and a growing culture of sycophancy, saying many politicians now prioritise belonging and personal interests over principles.
“I think that we should be concerned about standards and quality of leadership and values, which is very important. And also, the sometimes the pervading climate of sycophancy.”
Senator Dickson had recently been honoured as the Leadership Politician of the Year, an award he described as a humbling recognition of his years of public service and commitment to democratic values.
“Let me thank the leadership of the Leadership Newspaper. And all of those who took that decision. It’s humbling. I’m not a man who goes after awards. Even till today, the majority of Nigerians don’t know the profundity of the work I did in Bayelsa, and what I’ve done in public service over there. I don’t like this media-media. So I want to thank them for considering me fit and proper, a deserving person. It’s humbling. I thank them for it.”
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