Pay N25,000 parking fine, apologize in 7 days — Keyamo tells Peter Obi
By Precious Mark
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has given the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, a 7-day ultimatum to tender an unreserved public apology and pay a N25,000 parking fine over a vehicular clamping incident at the Abuja airport.
The development follows an internal inquiry ordered by the Minister to verify claims made by the opposition candidate, who alleged that his car tyres were “unjustly” clamped at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport as part of a “persecution agenda” by the Federal Government.
Keyamo explained that a full review of the airport’s 24-hour Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage exposed the narrative as a false attempt to whip up cheap political sentiments.
According to the official timeline established by the inquiry, the incident occurred on Saturday, July 4, when Obi arrived at the domestic wing at exactly 8:28 PM in a vehicle driven by a police officer.
After Obi and two other occupants entered the terminal, the police driver abandoned the vehicle in a restricted drop-off zone, blocking the entrance for nearly 30 minutes.
The Minister noted that under global aviation security guidelines, vehicles left unattended in such zones constitute a major security hazard.
He stated that airport security officials, completely unaware of who owned the empty car, clamped the tyres in line with standard protocol.
“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 stated.
The review further revealed that when the driver discovered the clamped tyres, he contacted Obi via phone and handed the device to the airport manager.
The politician allegedly used his influence to get the manager to release the vehicle without paying the statutory regulatory fine.
Condemning the action, Keyamo stressed that an individual aspiring to lead the country must live above board and respect the rule of law rather than using influence to bypass civic responsibilities.
Consequently, the Minister issued a one-week ultimatum demanding that Obi tender a public apology to the ordinary, hardworking airport staff he allegedly blackmailed, and voluntarily return to the airport to pay the N25,000 wrongful parking fine.
Keyamo warned that if the demands are not met within seven days, he will direct the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to initiate necessary legal and administrative actions against the politician.