CDA News Nigeria
The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed anger over the police cancellation of a planned two-million-man march for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
CDA News Nigeria reports that the solidarity march, organised by the Obidient Movement, was scheduled to hold in Uyo on Thursday, October 1, 2026, to coincide with Independence Day celebrations.
The state police command directed that all earlier approvals for political rallies, meetings and processions scheduled for that day be rescheduled, citing credible intelligence of plans by some individuals to exploit such events to cause disturbances.
Addressing a press conference in Uyo, the Obidient Movement’s state director, Dr Benjamin Smith, accused Commissioner of Police Baba Azare of frustrating the march after earlier approving it, and said the party had spent over ₦20 million mobilising supporters across the state’s 31 local government areas.
CDA News Nigeria gathered that Smith said the planning committee honoured the commissioner’s invitation on September 29, and that the commissioner later said the command could not provide security for two million people and feared clashes because the PDP had also scheduled a rally from October 1 to 3. Smith also accused the police of violating the Police Act.
The police’s public statement gave a different reason from the one Smith attributed to the commissioner. It cited intelligence on a threat to public peace and did not mention manpower or a rival rally.
At the time of filing, the police had not responded to the NDC’s accusations.
CDA News Nigeria will update this story as more information emerges.
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