Keyamo Demands Apology, N25,000 Fine from Peter Obi over Airport Parking Claim

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Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has asked Peter Obi, a presidential candidate, to apologize and pay a fine for parking his vehicle in a wrong zone at Abuja's Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

Politics aside, every Nigerian is entitled to fair treatment under the law, Keyamo said, explaining why he demanded an internal investigation after Obi alleged the clamp was unjust. Keyamo said he watched the CCTV footage and saw that Obi's vehicle was parked unattended for about 30 minutes in a designated drop-off zone, flouting airport regulations.

Mr. Keyamo explained that the footage showed that Mr. Obi arrived at the airport on July 4 at about 8:28 p.m. with two other occupants after alighting from the vehicle, which was being driven by a police officer. CCTV footage also revealed that the police officer left the vehicle unattended after briefly returning to collect an item, prompting airport security personnel to clamp its tires.

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, Keyamo said.

Mr. Keyamo also dismissed Mr. Obi's claim that other improperly parked vehicles were ignored, describing the allegation as false.

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has been accused of violating airport parking regulations at Abuja's Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. Keyamo said Obi should publicly apologize to airport personnel whom he accused of persecuting him while carrying out their lawful duties. He also asked the former Anambra governor to return to the airport voluntarily and pay the N25,000 penalty for wrongful parking.

If these demands are not met within one week, I will be giving the necessary directives to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take the next steps against him, Keyamo warned.

The incident occurred on July 4, when Obi allegedly parked his vehicle in a wrong zone and had it clamped by airport security personnel. Obi claimed that his vehicle was clamped unjustly, but CCTV footage appears to contradict this claim.

Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State and the Labour Party's presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, defected to the Nigeria Democratic Congress in December 2025 and is now the party's presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

Obi's allegations of political persecution have been rejected by the Presidency. President Bola Tinubu's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the airport incident stemmed from a breach of parking regulations rather than any act of political persecution.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has not publicly commented on the incident or Keyamo's demands. As of the time of filing this report, Mr. Obi had not publicly responded to Mr. Keyamo's demands.