Obidient Movement unhappy over N20m loss as police change Obi-Kwankwaso march date

The Obidient Movement in Akwa Ibom State is not happy about the police changing the date for a planned two million-man march. The march was meant to support the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, in Uyo.

This march was set to happen during the Independence Day celebration in the state.

The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Baba Azare, ordered all political groups to change the dates for rallies, meetings, and other activities that were approved for October 1. He gave security concerns as the reason for this decision.

A statement from the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Timfon John, was shared with journalists in Uyo on Wednesday. The statement said that police received intelligence suggesting that some people might use planned political events to create trouble and disturb public peace.

The statement said, "The Akwa Ibom State Police Command wishes to inform all political parties, political groups, associations, and other concerned stakeholders that, following credible intelligence available to the Command indicating plans by some individuals to exploit scheduled political activities to cause disturbances and threaten public peace, and in the overriding interest of public safety and security, all approvals earlier granted for political rallies, meetings, processions, and other related public political activities scheduled to hold on Thursday, 1st October 2026, anywhere within Akwa Ibom State are hereby directed to be rescheduled."

At a press conference in Uyo on Thursday, the State Director of the Obidient Movement, Benjamin Smith, shared his disappointment over the police's decision. He accused the police of trying to stop the planned two million-man march for Obi and Kwankwaso.

Smith said this decision came too late. He claimed that the same police commissioner had earlier said the march could take place in Uyo.

He stated that the Obidient Movement spent over N20m to mobilize supporters from all 31 local government areas in the state. He questioned why the police changed their mind at this time.

Smith mentioned that the party had gone to a meeting with the police on September 29. They were there with members of the planning committee for the Akwa Ibom Two Million-Man Solidarity March for Obi-Kwankwaso 2027.

Those invited included the state party chairman, the media director for the march, and the security head for the event.

Smith said, "The Commissioner, CP Azare, informed the Party and the support groups planning the event that he and his men of the Nigeria Police Force would not have enough personnel to provide security for 2 million people 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 continued, "He cited security concerns and possible clashes between the two political parties."

Smith, along with officials from the Obidient Movement and NDC leaders, estimated their loss from the march's rescheduling at N20m.

He insisted that the movement and the NDC would not agree to any more cancellations of the event.

He encouraged supporters to stay law-abiding and mentioned that they would let them know the new date for the program soon.

He said, "We want Nigerians to know that the police have violated the Police Act. It is a violation of the Nigerian Constitution that gives the people the right of freedom of assembly."

He added, "We want everybody to know this and we would resist it next time the rally would be scheduled. We also want everybody to know that without the Constitution of Nigeria and laws, we are just a banana republic."