Police Avert Political Clash at Peter Obi’s Calabar Visit

Tension erupted in Calabar as supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress and the All Progressives Congress converged near the venue of Obi’s presidential town hall meeting

The Cross River State Police Command has confirmed intervening to prevent a confrontation between supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Calabar on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, as Peter Obi visited the state capital for a presidential town hall meeting.

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The incident occurred around Metropolitan Hotel, where Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, was scheduled to meet party supporters and stakeholders alongside his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Tension reportedly developed when NDC supporters gathered around the hotel while APC supporters were conducting a street rally and road walk towards the Cross River State Government House.

The convergence of the two political groups along Murtala Mohammed Highway, near the U.J. Esuene Stadium, raised concerns about a possible confrontation and disrupted movement in the area.

Earlier reports, citing an aide to Obi, Ester Umoh, claimed that suspected political thugs had attempted to attack the presidential candidate’s convoy shortly after his arrival in Calabar.

Umoh reportedly raised the alarm in a social media post, saying, “Thugs are trying to attack our convoy.”

However, the police account presented the incident as a potential confrontation between supporters of the two political parties rather than confirming a physical attack on Obi’s convoy.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Cross River State, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, said officers intervened promptly when the groups converged in front of the hotel.

According to him, the operatives engaged both sides and appealed to them to exercise restraint, maintain peace and conduct their political activities within the law.

In a statement reported by Punch, the police said their intervention helped avert a possible confrontation between participants at the NDC town hall meeting and APC supporters heading towards the Governor’s Office.

The command added that normalcy was restored after the intervention, while urging political parties and their supporters to avoid violence as activities ahead of the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

Although some initial accounts alleged that vehicles were attacked and supporters sustained injuries, the police statement reviewed did not confirm those claims. It also did not establish that a suspect had been arrested in connection with the reported incident.

The development comes less than two months after Obi’s convoy was obstructed during a visit to Benue State in September.

During that incident, suspected youths blocked the Makurdi-Gboko highway, preventing the former Anambra State governor from proceeding to Yelwata community, where he intended to meet families affected by the June 2025 killings.

The police subsequently arrested 46 suspects in connection with the Benue incident, while the NDC demanded an investigation into the alleged obstruction.

Despite the tension in Calabar, Obi’s planned engagement was centred on the NDC’s presidential town hall meeting, which brought party supporters and stakeholders together in the Cross River State capital.

The latest incident has again drawn attention to security arrangements around political gatherings and the need for rival parties to conduct their activities without creating situations that threaten public safety.

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The police have urged political actors and their supporters to embrace peaceful participation as the country moves closer to the 2027 general elections.