Obi-Kwankwaso march: Presidency breaks silence on Abuja City Gate security deployment

The Presidency has denied allegations that heavy security deployment at Abuja City Gate was intended to suppress a political march supporting Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

According to Daily Post, military tanks and personnel from the Department of State Services, police and civil defence corps were reportedly stationed at the location on Saturday.

Reacting, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Dayo Olusegun, dismissed suggestions that the deployment targeted opposition supporters.

“This is a standard security procedure whenever the President is embarking on a trip, put in place to ensure his safety.

“Not everything should be interpreted as an attempt at suppression. We are in a democracy, and we will continue to uphold democratic principles and abide by the rule of law,” he wrote on X.

Tinubu travelled to Kaduna on Saturday to launch his re-election campaign.

The security deployment coincided with a planned march supporting Obi and Kwankwaso, raising concerns about possible interference with opposition political activities.