The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has accused Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi of falsely claiming he was persecuted after the tyres of his vehicle were clamped at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, alleging that CCTV footage shows the incident resulted from a clear violation of airport parking regulations.
In a statement issued on Friday, Keyamo said he ordered an internal investigation after Obi publicly alleged that his vehicle was targeted by airport authorities as part of a Federal Government persecution agenda.
According to the minister, the inquiry reviewed CCTV recordings from the airport, which he said is monitored around the clock, and established that Obi arrived at the domestic terminal at exactly 8:28 p.m. on July 4, 2026, in a vehicle driven by a police officer.
Keyamo said Obi and two other occupants immediately entered the terminal building, while the police driver parked the vehicle in the designated drop-off zone, almost obstructing the entrance, before also leaving the vehicle unattended and entering the terminal.
He explained that airport regulations permit vehicles to remain briefly in the drop-off area only if the driver stays behind the wheel. According to him, the driver later returned briefly at about 8:32 p.m. to retrieve an item from the vehicle before leaving it unattended again.
The minister said it was only after the vehicle had been abandoned that airport security officials clamped its tyres, stressing that no one was inside the vehicle at the time and that officers carrying out the enforcement action had no knowledge that it belonged to Obi.
Keyamo also rejected Obi’s claim that other offending vehicles were ignored, describing the allegation as false.
According to the minister, when the police driver later discovered the vehicle had been clamped, he was directed to the airport management office, where he telephoned Obi and handed the phone to the airport manager.
Keyamo alleged that Obi identified himself during the call and persuaded the manager to release the vehicle without paying the prescribed N25,000 penalty, an action the minister described as influence peddling.
He further stated that the vehicle remained unattended in the restricted zone for about 30 minutes, describing the conduct as a significant security risk that contravenes international airport safety practices.
The minister said the incident had initially been resolved quietly by airport authorities, but accused Obi of later presenting a false narrative to the public by portraying himself as a victim of political persecution.
“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, insisting that anyone aspiring to lead the country must be held to the same legal standards as every other Nigerian.
The minister demanded that Obi issue an unreserved public apology to airport personnel whom he alleged were unfairly portrayed as persecutors for simply carrying out their lawful duties.
He also called on the former Anambra State governor to voluntarily return to the airport and pay the N25,000 fine for the parking violation.
Keyamo warned that if Obi fails to apologise and pay the fine within one week, he would direct the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take further action.
The allegations represent Keyamo’s account of the incident. Peter Obi’s response to these specific claims was not included in the statement.