Keyamo Gives Obi Seven-Day Ultimatum Over Airport Parking Dispute . ABUJA — The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has given the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, a seven-day ultimatum to publicly apologise to airport officials and pay a ₦25,000 parking violation fine over an incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.In a statement issued on Friday, Keyamo said an internal investigation, supported by Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage, disproved Obi’s claim that his vehicle was clamped as part of political persecution.According to the minister, the incident occurred on July 4 when Obi arrived at the airport’s domestic terminal at about 8:28 p.m. He alleged that after Obi alighted from the vehicle, his police driver parked in a designated drop-off zone, left the vehicle unattended, and entered the terminal in violation of airport regulations.Keyamo said the driver briefly returned to the vehicle before leaving it unattended again, prompting airport security personnel to clamp its tyres in line with enforcement procedures.
The minister maintained that airport officials had no knowledge the vehicle belonged to Obi at the time the enforcement action was taken.He further alleged that after discovering the vehicle had been clamped, the driver contacted Obi, who subsequently spoke with the airport manager and requested that the vehicle be released. According to Keyamo, the vehicle was released without payment of the prescribed ₦25,000 penalty.Keyamo stated that leaving a vehicle unattended in a restricted airport zone for approximately 30 minutes posed a significant security risk and violated international aviation safety standards.He accused Obi of attempting to gain political sympathy by portraying the enforcement action as persecution, insisting that the issue had already been resolved before the former Anambra State governor made his allegations public.The minister demanded that Obi issue an unreserved public apology to airport officials for what he described as unfair allegations against personnel who were carrying out their lawful duties.
He also urged the former presidential candidate to voluntarily return and pay the outstanding parking fine.Keyamo warned that should Obi fail to comply within seven days, he would direct the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take further action in accordance with airport regulations.
Joseph Akwagiobe is a media contributor from Cross River State, Nigeria, currently based in Abuja. He is a graduate of Microbiology and has earned several professional certifications across diverse fields, reflecting his commitment to continuous learning, professional growth, and excellence.