Keyamo Gives Peter Obi One-Week Ultimatum To Apologise, Pay ₦25,000 Airport Fine Or Face FAAN Action

 

By Abel Chigozie 

Festus Keyamo, Nigeria's Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has demanded a public apology and payment of a ₦25,000 parking fine from Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi over a recent incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

In a lengthy statement issued on Saturday, Keyamo said an internal investigation, backed by CCTV footage, found that Obi's vehicle was lawfully clamped after it was left unattended in a restricted drop-off zone, contrary to airport regulations.

The minister said he ordered the inquiry after Obi publicly alleged that his vehicle was unjustly clamped as part of a "persecution agenda" by the Federal Government.

According to Keyamo, CCTV footage showed that Obi arrived at the domestic terminal at exactly 8:28 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in a vehicle driven by a police officer. After dropping Obi and two other occupants, the driver allegedly abandoned the vehicle near the terminal entrance and entered the building, leaving the car unattended.

He explained that airport rules require drivers to remain inside vehicles parked temporarily in the drop-off zone, adding that the vehicle was initially left untouched before the driver returned briefly to retrieve an item and again abandoned it.

The minister said airport security officials subsequently clamped the vehicle's tyres because it had been left unattended for about 30 minutes, describing the action as a necessary security measure in line with international airport safety standards.

Keyamo dismissed Obi's claim that he was singled out, insisting that airport officials had no knowledge that the vehicle belonged to the former Anambra State governor when they enforced the regulations.

He further alleged that after discovering the vehicle had been clamped, the police driver contacted Obi, who then spoke directly with the airport manager over the phone and requested the vehicle's release.

According to the minister, the vehicle was released without payment of the stipulated ₦25,000 penalty, which he described as an act of "influence peddling."

Keyamo accused Obi of attempting to exploit the incident for political gain by portraying himself as a victim of government persecution.

"What has emerged is a clear case of an opposition candidate trying to whip up unnecessary sentiments for a wrong he committed with his driver," the minister stated, rejecting Obi's claim that other vehicles also violated the parking rules that day.

He said the matter had already been resolved administratively by airport authorities until Obi revived it publicly with what he described as a "false narrative."

As a result, Keyamo demanded that Obi publicly apologise to airport workers whom he said were unfairly portrayed as political persecutors while carrying out their lawful duties.

He also directed Obi to voluntarily return to the airport within one week to pay the ₦25,000 fine for wrongful parking.

The minister warned that if Obi fails to comply with both demands within the stipulated period, he would direct the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to initiate further action against him.

Keyamo said the CCTV footage of the incident had been attached to his statement to allow Nigerians to independently assess what transpired at the airport.