Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Obidient Movement has expressed anger over the rescheduling of a two million-man march organised in support of Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, estimating the financial loss from the last-minute cancellation at N20 million and accusing the police of frustrating a peaceful political assembly.
The march was scheduled to hold in Uyo on October 1, 2026, to coincide with Nigeria's 66th Independence Day celebration. Organisers had mobilised supporters across all 31 local government areas of the state, arranged logistics and obtained what they believed was police clearance for the event. The state Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, however, issued a directive on September 30 ordering all political parties, groups and associations to reschedule rallies, meetings, processions and other political activities earlier approved for October 1, citing security concerns. A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, said the directive followed credible intelligence indicating that some individuals might exploit the scheduled political activities to cause disturbances and threaten public peace. "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," the statement read.
Addressing a press conference in Uyo on Thursday, the State Director of the Obidient Movement, Benjamin Smith, said the decision was an afterthought, claiming that the same police commissioner had earlier granted approval for the march. He disclosed that the movement 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. Those invited included the state party chairman, the director of media for the march and the head of security for the event. According to Smith, CP Azare told the party and support groups at that meeting that he and his men would not have enough personnel to provide security for two million people marching on the streets of Uyo on October 1, as the date had already been approved for the Peoples Democratic Party to hold its own rally from October 1 to 3. The commissioner cited security concerns and possible clashes between the two political parties.
Smith said the Obidient Movement had spent more than N20 million mobilising supporters across the 31 local government areas of the state and questioned the timing of the police directive. He insisted that the movement and the NDC would not accept further cancellations of the event in the future. "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," Smith said. "We want everybody to know this and we would resist it next time the rally would be scheduled." He, however, encouraged supporters to remain law-abiding, adding that a new date for the programme would be communicated to them.
The cancellation was not without incident. Reports emerged that the Akwa Ibom State coordinator of the OK Movement, Elijah Noah, was arrested by armed police officers while supporters were gathering around the proposed starting point of the march. Videos circulating online purportedly showed the arrest, while separate reports alleged that tear gas was deployed against some supporters. The specific arrest, any charges against Noah and the alleged use of tear gas had not been independently confirmed by the police at the time of reporting. The police maintained that the directive was precautionary and non-partisan, applying to all political activities across the state. Opposition supporters and organisers challenged the decision, arguing that preparations for the march had already been completed and that the event was intended to be peaceful. They also questioned why a similar event had been held in the state in 2022 without a security breach.
The confrontation has placed Uyo at the intersection of political expression, public-order policing and the constitutional right to peaceful assembly. The police position is that security intelligence comes first and that no previous approval authorises political activity on October 1 after the directive was issued. The organisers' position is equally clear: peaceful political mobilisation should not be converted into a security offence simply because it is politically inconvenient. The episode offers a sobering preview of the security challenges that could accompany increasingly competitive political mobilisation as the 2027 election cycle gathers momentum. The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, with the governorship and state assembly elections following on February 6.
The Obidient Movement and the NDC have vowed to proceed with the march on a new date, which they said would be communicated to supporters. The movement's insistence that it would resist any further cancellation signals that the dispute over the right to peaceful assembly in Akwa Ibom is far from resolved. For the organisers, the N20 million loss represents a significant financial setback and a disruption of their mobilisation strategy. For the police, the decision to cancel the march reflects a judgment that public safety concerns outweighed the organisers' right to assemble. For Nigerians watching the unfolding drama, the incident raises fundamental questions about the boundaries of political expression and the treatment of opposition mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections. The coming days will determine whether the march is rescheduled without further incident or whether the confrontation escalates into a broader legal and political battle.
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