Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has opened up about the episode which resulted in the inability of the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to visit the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in the state.

Speaking on Thursday during an interview with TVC, Governor Alia said he didn’t know the intention Obi had for the planned visit, as there was no prior information on the visit.

While debunking any political colouration of the denial, the Benue State Governor added that there are protocols for such high-profile visits that need to be vetted before approval can be given.

Recall that following the denial, Peter Obi had lamented the treatment meted out to him by the Benue State Government over his planned visit to camps housing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state and called for a need to change his approach in responding to issues in politics.

Sharing his own side of the story, Alia said the denial wasn’t a political move but more of a security approach and protection for the people in the IDP camp.

He said, “I can never politicize that. I am the one bearing the brunt and the pains and the sorrows of the IDPs in my state.

“The very respected Peter Obi was a Governor and if you are coming into someone’s state, there are protocols. A very high personality you are coming into someone’s state and you party does not even know you are coming and I the sitting Governor do not know you are coming and then you are going to where I’m protecting even most, the IDP camp. It’s my duty to protect them, they have been disbalanced and I need to protect them even some more.

“So I don’t know the intent you have. Is it not courteous enough just for me to know as a sitting Governor and even to provide more security to you and to prepare the mind of the IDPs.”

Governor Alia also denied claims by Obi that he couldn’t be reached, adding that if he couldn’t be reached directly, other senior members of his government could have been reached.