The Akwa Ibom chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress has berated the state commissioner of police, Baba Azare, for cancelling the two-million-man march organised by the Obidient Movement for its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Mr Azare, in a statement on Wednesday, directed political associations and other stakeholders to reschedule their political activities scheduled for October 1, following intelligence that some individuals were planning to disrupt 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 CP partly said.
However, the state director for Obidient Movement, Benjamin Smith, at a press conference on Thursday, accused Mr Azare, who had earlier granted their request to hold the rally, of frustrating the planned march.
Mr Smith said the party had spent over N20 million to mobilise supporters across the 31 local government areas.
He expressed dissatisfaction with Mr Azare’s action, despite members of the party’s planning committee honouring his invitation on September 29 to the proposed march, without minding the cost implications to the organisers.
Mr Smith also said the police commissioner said the command could not provide security for the two million people and that he feared violent clashes could occur because the Peoples Democratic Party was also scheduled to hold its rally from October 1 to 3.
“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 two 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.
“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.
“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,” Mr Smith said.
He urged supporters to remain law-abiding as they plan to set another date for the march, which will later be communicated to them.