KEY POINTS

• Kaduna Police stopped a rally planned in celebration of Peter Obi’s birthday over fears it could be hijacked by criminals.

• The rally clashed with scheduled party primaries, prompting security concerns about tension and possible clashes.

• Police reiterated that political gatherings remain suspended statewide until INEC formally lifts the restriction.

The Kaduna State Police Command has halted a planned rally organized by supporters of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, citing security threats and violation of existing political gathering restrictions.

The rally, which was intended to mark Obi’s birthday on Saturday, July 19, 2025, was scheduled to take place across multiple local government areas in the state. However, the police stated that intelligence reports indicated plans by criminal elements to hijack the gathering and use it as a cover to incite violence and disrupt public peace.

In a public statement issued by the Command’s spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mansir Hassan, the police emphasized that “all forms of political rallies and public gatherings of a political nature remain suspended across the state until the official commencement date of political activities as stipulated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”

According to the police, the planned rally also clashed with scheduled party primaries for upcoming by-elections sanctioned by INEC, with multiple political parties having already notified the command of their events in compliance with the law.

Police warn that planned rally clashes with party primaries and may provoke unrest

“While the primary elections by political parties are scheduled by INEC to hold on the same date the Obi supporters planned for their rally,” the police noted, “the rally will overlap and disrupt several areas designated for the conduct of other parties’ primaries, thereby posing a significant risk of tension, clashes, and breakdown of law and order in the state.”

The command, while acknowledging citizens’ rights to association and political expression, reiterated that “public safety must come first, and the risk of criminal infiltration cannot be ignored.”

DSP Hassan further added that “the Kaduna State Police Command remains committed to safeguarding the lives and property of all residents and will not hesitate to take necessary legal action against any individual or group found violating this directive.”

The police advised organisers to suspend the gathering and warned that those who proceed with the event would face legal consequences.

Peter Obi, a former Anambra State governor and runner-up in Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election, remains a highly influential figure, particularly among Nigeria’s youth population. Birthday gatherings and political solidarity marches in his honor have become common in several parts of the country, reflecting the sustained momentum of the Labour Party’s “Obidient” movement.

However, this is not the first time authorities have clamped down on such rallies. In 2023, similar events were either cancelled or disrupted in parts of the Southeast and North Central regions due to security concerns or political pushback.

Analysts believe the increasing frequency of these disruptions signals a growing unease among state authorities about large grassroots mobilizations, especially when timed close to sensitive political activities.