We moreover wish for everybody to be aware of that excluding the Constitution of Nigeria and laws, we are just a banana republic,” he said.
The Akwa Ibom Status chapter of the Obidient Movement has expressed anger over the rescheduling of a two million-man march by the collection in assist of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, in Uyo.
The march was scheduled to coincide using the Independence Day celebration in the situation.
The Akwa Ibom Declare Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, had directed all political parties, groups and associations to reschedule rallies, meetings, processions and other political activities earlier approved for October 1, citing security concerns.
A remark signed by the Police Community Relations Officer in the situation, DSP Timfon John, and made equipped to journalists in Uyo on Wednesday, said the directive followed intelligence indicating that some individuals might exploit scheduled political activities to cause disturbances and threaten audience peace.
The declaration read in section, “The Akwa Ibom Situation Police Command wishes to inform all political parties, political groups, associations and other concerned stakeholders that, following credible intelligence accessible to the Command indicating plans by some individuals to exploit scheduled political activities to cause disturbances and threaten people peace, and in the overriding attract to of community safety and security, all approvals earlier granted for political rallies, meetings, processions and other relevant audience political activities scheduled to hold on Thursday, 1st October 2026, anywhere before the complete of Akwa Ibom Declare are hereby directed to be rescheduled.”
Addressing a press conference in Uyo on Thursday, the Condition Leader of the Obidient Movement, Benjamin Smith, expressed disappointment over the directive, accusing the police of frustrating the planned two million-man march for Obi and Kwankwaso in the declare.
Smith said the decision was an afterthought, claiming that the same police commissioner had earlier granted approval for the march to hold in Uyo.
He said the Obidient Movement had spent further than N20m mobilising supporters across the 31 regional government areas of the condition and questioned the timing of the police directive.
Smith added that the party had honoured an invitation from the police on September 29, alongside members of the planning committee for the proposed Akwa Ibom Two Million-Man Solidarity March for Obi-Kwankwaso 2027.
He said those invited included the status party chairman, the director of media for the march and the chief of security for the event.
“The Commissioner, CP Azare, advised the Party and the fund groups planning the event that he and his men of the Nigeria Police Force would not have plentiful personnel to provide security for 2 million individuals marching on the streets of Uyo on 1st October, as the said date has already been approved for the PDP to hold its own rally, scheduled to take place from 1st to 3rd October.
“He cited security concerns and achievable clashes amid the two political parties,” Smith disclosed.
Smith, who was accompanied by officials of the Obidient Movement and NDC chieftains, estimated the financial loss from the rescheduling of the march at N20m.
He insisted that the movement and the NDC would not approve continued cancellation of the event in the forthcoming.
He, nonetheless, encouraged supporters to continue law-abiding, adding that a novel date for the programme would be communicated to them.
“We desire Nigerians to understand that the police have violated the Police Act. It is a violation of the Nigerian Constitution that gives the persons the right of freedom of assembly.
“We desire everybody to understand this and we would resist it upcoming time the rally would be scheduled.
Source: Obidient movement laments N20m loss as police reschedule Obi-Kwankwaso march
