The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has given Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi one week to publicly apologise to airport officials and pay a N25,000 fine over the alleged wrongful parking of his vehicle at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
In a statement issued on Friday, Keyamo dismissed Obi’s recent claim that his vehicle was unfairly clamped as part of a campaign of political persecution, insisting that CCTV footage from the airport contradicts the former Anambra governor’s account.
The controversy stems from an interview Obi granted media personality Chude Jideonwo, in which he alleged that his car was clamped despite several other vehicles being parked in the same area. Obi also claimed that some airport officials now avoid greeting him for fear of being targeted by the government.
Responding, Keyamo said he ordered an internal investigation into the incident, noting that the airport is monitored round-the-clock by CCTV cameras.
“As the Minister of Aviation, I felt a moral duty to investigate and authenticate the claim made by opposition candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, that the tyres of his car were ‘unjustly’ clamped at the airport, suggesting a persecution agenda by the Federal Government,” Keyamo said.
“Politics aside, every Nigerian is entitled to fair treatment under the law. Luckily enough, the entire Abuja airport is covered by CCTV cameras, real-time, 24/7.”
According to the minister, Obi arrived at the domestic terminal at about 8:28 p.m. on July 4 in a vehicle driven by a police officer. He said Obi and two other occupants alighted and proceeded into the terminal, after which the police driver parked the vehicle in the airport’s designated drop-off zone before also leaving it unattended.
Keyamo explained that airport regulations require drivers to remain inside their vehicles while using the drop-off area, adding that abandoning a vehicle there poses a security risk.
“The Police driver then parked the vehicle, almost blocking the entrance, came out himself and went into the terminal building. The airport rule is that a driver must remain behind the wheels of the vehicle for it to be tolerated for some time within that zone,” he said.
He added that the officer briefly returned to the vehicle to retrieve an item before leaving it unattended again, prompting airport security personnel to clamp its tyres.
“Contrary to the claims by Peter Obi, nobody was inside the car and so nobody knew whether it was his car. When the Policeman returned and discovered the tyres were clamped, he contacted Mr. Obi, who spoke directly with the airport manager and requested that the vehicle be released.”
Keyamo alleged that the vehicle was released without payment of the prescribed fine after Obi intervened.
He said the vehicle remained unattended in the restricted area for about 30 minutes, describing the situation as a breach of airport security protocols and international best practices.
The minister also rejected Obi’s assertion that other vehicles were similarly parked without consequence, describing the claim as false and inappropriate for someone aspiring to lead the country.
“What has emerged from this is a clear case of an opposition candidate trying to whip up unnecessary sentiments for a wrong he committed with his driver,” Keyamo said.
“The excuse that there were other offenders too on that day, which is completely false, cannot justify his conduct. He must live above board.”
Keyamo further accused Obi of attempting to exploit the incident for political gain, insisting that airport officials merely carried out their lawful duties.
He said CCTV footage of the incident has been attached to his statement and urged the public to review it.
The minister demanded that Obi issue an unreserved public apology to airport workers whom he allegedly sought to portray as political persecutors and voluntarily return to the airport to pay the N25,000 penalty for wrongful parking.
“He cannot be bigger than the law,” Keyamo said.
The minister warned that if Obi fails to comply with the demands within one week, he will direct the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take further action.
