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The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has called on former Labor Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to publicly apologize to airport officials and pay a fine of ₦25,000 for an alleged parking violation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The minister made the request after an internal investigation into Obi’s claim that his vehicle’s tires had been unfairly blocked at the airport, an incident that Obi had suggested was politically motivated.
Keyamo said the investigation was launched to ascertain the facts surrounding the incident and ensure that the matter is handled in a fair and transparent manner, stressing that all Nigerians are equal before the law regardless of their political status.
Investigations reveal the sequence of events
According to the minister, investigators reviewed CCTV footage from the domestic terminal of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where the incident occurred on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
He said the footage shows that Obi arrived at around 8.28pm in a vehicle driven by a police officer.
Keyamo explained that Obi and two other occupants immediately exited the vehicle and entered the terminal building while the police driver remained behind.
The minister said the driver then parked the vehicle in a restricted zone, an area reserved exclusively for loading or quick loading of passengers.
He noted that the vehicle was positioned in such a way that it almost blocked access to the terminal entrance.
Airport regulations violated
According to Keyamo, airport regulations allow vehicles to stop briefly within designated drop-off zones only if the driver remains inside the vehicle and is ready to move immediately when requested.
However, he said the police officer left the vehicle unattended and entered the terminal building, contrary to airport security procedures.
The minister added that the driver returned briefly at around 8.32pm to collect an item from the vehicle before leaving it unattended again.
After the second departure, airport security officers reportedly intervened and blocked the vehicle’s tires in line with screening procedures.
Keyamo argued that no one was inside the vehicle when the tires were fixed and insisted that airport staff had no idea that the vehicle belonged to Peter Obi.
Vehicle allegedly released without payment
The minister further said that when the police driver returned and found the vehicle immobilized, he was directed to the airport management office.
According to Keyamo, the driver contacted Obi by phone and handed the phone over to the airport director.
He said Obi introduced himself during the conversation and asked for the vehicle to be released.
The minister said the vehicle was later released without paying the prescribed fine of ₦25,000 for illegal parking.
He added that the vehicle remained unattended in the restricted area for around 30 minutes, describing the situation as a serious safety issue.
According to him, unattended vehicles inside airports are treated seriously under international aviation safety standards because they could pose potential security threats.
Keyamo rejects the request for political persecution
Responding to Obi’s accusation that the incident was politically motivated, Keyamo dismissed the claim as inaccurate and misleading.
He argued that airport officials simply carried out their routine duties without knowing the identity of the vehicle’s owner.
The minister accused Obi of attempting to create a false public narrative by describing a routine enforcement action as an act of political intimidation.
He also noted that the matter had already been resolved internally before Obi raised it publicly, insisting that airport authorities had never publicized the incident.
The minister issues a one-week ultimatum
Keyamo called on Obi to issue an unreserved public apology to the airport workers involved, saying they had been unfairly portrayed as agents of persecution while merely carrying out their lawful duties.
He also called on the former presidential candidate to voluntarily return to the airport and pay the exceptional fine of ₦25,000 for the parking violation.
The minister argued that respect for the rule of law requires that public office holders and political leaders not use their influence to evade sanctions applicable to ordinary citizens.
He warned that if Obi does not apologize and settle the fine within a week, he will direct the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to initiate appropriate legal and administrative action in accordance with airport regulations.
The incident has continued to generate public debate, with supporters of both men offering divergent interpretations of events, while attention now turns to whether Obi will respond to the minister’s demands within the expected timeframe.
