ABUJA, Nigeria — The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has issued a strong rebuttal against allegations made by the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who recently accused the Federal Government of targeted persecution and airport harassment. Keyamo countered the claims by accusing Obi of violating strict parking regulations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and using his political influence to bypass statutory penalties.
In an official statement released on Friday night, July 10, 2026, Keyamo revealed that he instituted an internal inquiry utilizing the airport’s 24-hour real-time CCTV surveillance system. According to the minister, the recovered footage completely contradicts Obi's narrative of state-sponsored harassment, capturing the exact sequence of events that transpired on the evening of Saturday, July 4, 2026.
CCTV Timeline and Parking Infractions
The minister detailed the factual timeline established by the security recordings:
At exactly 8:28 p.m., Obi arrived at the domestic wing of the Abuja airport in a vehicle driven by a police officer.
Obi and two other occupants exited the vehicle and entered the terminal building.
Following their departure, the police driver left the vehicle completely unattended in a designated drop-off zone, parking in a manner that nearly blocked the terminal entrance before entering the building himself.
At 8:32 p.m., the driver briefly returned to the vehicle to retrieve an item, but left it unattended a second time.
Keyamo explained that standard aviation regulations strictly require drivers to remain behind the steering wheel while utilizing the drop-off loop. Leaving a vehicle abandoned in a high-security perimeter for approximately 30 minutes poses a significant security risk according to global best practices. Consequently, dutiful airport security personnel clamped the vehicle's tires. The minister emphasized that no one was inside the car at the time of the enforcement action, and the staff had no way of knowing the vehicle belonged to the opposition leader.
Allegations of Influence Peddling and Demands for Recourse
According to the official inquiry, when the driver discovered the clamped tires, he contacted Obi, who then spoke directly over the phone with the airport manager. Keyamo alleged that Obi introduced himself and used his political status to secure the immediate, unconditional release of the vehicle without paying the standard fine.
The minister criticized Obi for subsequently going on air to broadcast a false narrative, asserting that the opposition candidate attempted to manufacture political victimhood from a standard traffic enforcement incident. Keyamo maintained that a political figure aspiring to the highest office in the country must live above board and respect the principle of equality before the law.
Ministerial Ultimatums Issued to Opposition Leader
Emphasizing that no citizen is above the law, the Aviation Minister issued two specific demands to Peter Obi, warning of further administrative action if they are ignored:
Obi must tender an unreserved public apology to the ordinary, hardworking airport workers whom he allegedly sought to blackmail as persecutors.
Obi must voluntarily return to the airport and pay the prescribed 25,000 Naira fine for the wrongful parking violation.
Keyamo concluded the briefing by stating that if these specific conditions are not fulfilled within one week, he will direct the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria to initiate the next legal and administrative steps against the politician. The minister also attached the raw CCTV footage to his public statement for full transparency.
