Youth leaders call for tolerance ahead 2027 polls

The Forum of National Youth Leaders of All Political Parties in Nigeria (FNYLPPN) has called on political actors and citizens to embrace tolerance ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The forum’s chairman, Eze-Onyebuchi Chukwu, who is also the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said this in a statement issued on Wednesday.

He was reacting to reports that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, was prevented from completing a humanitarian visit to Benue on Sept. 8.

Chukwu said Obi and his delegation were reportedly stopped along Gboko Road near the Air Force Base in Makurdi, and called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

He said the visit was intended to commiserate with families and internally displaced persons affected by recent attacks in Yelwata and other communities, where more than 200 people reportedly died.

According to the forum, every Nigerian, regardless of political affiliation, has a right to free movement and to associate with citizens in any part of the country, adding that turning humanitarian and condolence visits into political contests sets a troubling precedent.

Chukwu said leaders should be encouraged, rather than obstructed, from drawing national attention to the plight of victims.

He said youth leaders across political parties reject the use of thuggery, roadblocks and intimidation as tools of political engagement, stressing that issues should be debated rather than suppressed.

The forum urged the Benue government to investigate the incident and ensure accountability, and called on the police and other security agencies to remain neutral and guarantee the safety of political and humanitarian actors in the state.

It also appealed to all political actors to embrace tolerance, decorum and the spirit of sportsmanship in the lead-up to the 2027 polls, and expressed solidarity with the people of Benue and all Nigerians sympathising with victims of the attacks, irrespective of political leaning.

News reporters recall that the Benue Police Command had confirmed the blockade of Obi’s convoy in Makurdi and said officers had been deployed to secure his movement.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu, said on Tuesday that the command had commenced investigation into why some youths blocked the convoy.

He noted that the visit was meant to commiserate with victims of the attack, not for a political campaign.

The Yelwata attack, which the visit was meant to address, occurred between June 13 and June 14, 2025.