The Minister of Aerospace Development and Aviation, Festus Keyamo, had told the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 elections, Peter Obi, that he has just one week to apologise to the staff at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and pay a N25,000 fine for wrongful parking.
Keyamo said this in a statement after Obi complained about not being treated properly when he parked at the airport.
According to the Minister, the former two-term governor of Anambra State broke the law of the airport and would be sanctioned accordingly.
The statement, via his X handle on Friday, said: As the Minister of Aviation, I felt a moral duty to investigate and authenticate the claim made by opposition candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, a few days ago that the tyres of his car were ‘unjustly’ clamped at the airport, suggesting a ‘persecution agenda’ against him by the Federal Government. Politics aside, every Nigerian is entitled to fair treatment under the law.
I therefore instituted an internal inquiry over the issue.
Luckily enough, the entire Abuja airport is covered by CCTV cameras, real-time, 24/7. But apparently, this fact was unknown to Mr. Peter Obi. Otherwise, perhaps he would have been more circumspect before rushing to the media to cry ‘persecution’.
From the recordings, these are the facts:
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. The excuse which Mr. Peter Obi gave that there were other offenders too on that day (which is completely false) cannot be an excuse for an individual aspiring to be President of Nigeria. He must live above board.
This is a matter that was not even mentioned at all by the airport authorities and had been put to rest. But ever determined to milk any situation to score cheap political points, Mr. Peter Obi decided to go on air to render a false narrative.
Therefore, he must also face the consequences of his actions. (I have attached the CCTV footages to this statement for the public to clearly see what transpired.)
In the circumstances, consistent with the principle of equality before the law, as Minister of Aviation, I make the following demands on Mr. Peter Obi:
If these demands are not met within one week, I will be giving the necessary directives to the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take the next steps against him.
