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Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo has released closed-circuit television footage of an incident at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, demanding that the 2027 Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, apologise publicly and pay a N25,000 fine for wrongful parking.
Keyamo said he instituted an internal inquiry after Obi alleged his car tyres were “unjustly” clamped at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, suggesting a government persecution agenda.
In a statement on his verified X handle, Keyamo said CCTV footage revealed that Obi’s police driver parked the vehicle for approximately 30 minutes in a prohibited drop-off zone without remaining behind the wheel.
“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’,” Keyamo said.
According to the minister, the vehicle was parked at 20:28 pm on Saturday, July 4, with the driver leaving the car unattended. Airport security clamped the tyres after the driver failed to remain with the vehicle.
“On Saturday, July 4th, 2026, Mr. Obi arrived at the domestic wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja at exactly 20:28 pm, driven by a Policeman. He alighted with two other occupants and went into the terminal building,” Keyamo wrote.
“The Police driver then parked the vehicle, almost blocking the entrance and came out himself and went into the terminal building too. The airport rule is that, apart from the fact that it is a drop-off zone, a driver must remain behind the wheels of the vehicle for it to be tolerated for some time within that zone. Still the vehicle tyres were not clamped.
“The Policeman came back to the vehicle at about 20:32pm and collected something from the vehicle and went back into the building again, leaving the vehicle unattended to.
“At this point, the dutiful airport security staff came over and clamped the tyres of the car. In doing this, contrary to the claims by Peter Obi, nobody was inside the car and so nobody knew whether it was his car (not that it should matter, anyway).
“When the Policeman returned again and discovered the tyres were clamped, he was directed to an office and upon getting there, he called Mr. Peter Obi on his phone and gave the phone to the manager. Mr. Peter Obi then introduced himself and spoke with the manager, peddled his ‘influence’ and requested for the release of the vehicle. His vehicle was then released without him paying the necessary fine.”
PETER OBI MUST APOLOGISE TO AIRPORT STAFF AND PAY THE FINE FOR WRONG PARKING
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… pic.twitter.com/Nh4f5HWGSl
— Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK) (@fkeyamo) July 10, 2026
The minister said the time the vehicle was parked unattended was about 30 minutes, “which constitutes a security risk at an airport by global best practices.”
Keyamo described the incident as a clear case of an opposition candidate trying to whip up sentiments for a wrong committed, adding that Obi’s excuse that other offenders were present was false.
“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.”
He demanded that Obi tender an “unreserved, public apology” to airport staff and voluntarily return to the airport to pay the N25,000 fine.
“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:
“That he tenders an unreserved, public apology to those hardworking, ordinary Nigerian workers at the airport, just doing their jobs dutifully and whom he sought to blackmail as his ‘persecutors’.
“That Mr. Peter Obi voluntarily goes back to the airport and pay the appropriate fine of N25,000 for wrongful parking at the airport for which he used ‘influence peddling’ to bully his way out on that day. He cannot be bigger than the law.
“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.”
PETER OBI MUST APOLOGISE TO AIRPORT STAFF AND PAY THE FINE FOR WRONG PARKING
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… pic.twitter.com/Nh4f5HWGSl
— Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK) (@fkeyamo) July 10, 2026
