Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo has released CCTV footage from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja that contradicts opposition presidential aspirant Peter Obi's claim that his vehicle was unjustly clamped in a government-orchestrated persecution. Keyamo has given Obi one week to publicly apologise to airport workers and voluntarily pay a N25,000 fine or face further action from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
What the CCTV Footage Showed
According to Keyamo's statement, airport recordings from Saturday, July 4, 2026, showed Obi arriving at the domestic terminal at 20:28pm, driven by a police officer. After dropping off Obi and two other passengers, the police driver parked the vehicle in a designated drop-off zone, where vehicles are only tolerated briefly with a driver remaining behind the wheel. The driver then entered the terminal building.
The driver briefly returned at around 20:32pm to retrieve an item from the vehicle before going back inside, leaving the car unattended. Airport security then clamped the tyres. Keyamo emphasised that at no point during the clamping did anyone in the vehicle identify it as belonging to Obi.
When the police driver returned and found the tyres clamped, he was directed to a management office, where he called Obi by phone and handed the phone to the manager on duty. Obi then identified himself and requested the vehicle's release. The car was subsequently freed without the applicable fine being paid.
Keyamo's Demands and Deadline
Keyamo noted that the vehicle sat unattended in a restricted zone for roughly 30 minutes, which he said constitutes a recognised security risk under global airport standards. He rejected Obi's suggestion that other vehicles on the same day had also been parked without consequence, calling that claim 'completely false.' He argued that a person seeking the presidency must be held to a higher standard of personal conduct and cannot use the behaviour of others as justification for a rule violation.
Keyamo said the matter had already been resolved internally at the airport level and was not being publicised by the authorities, but that Obi's decision to air what he called a false narrative on national media left him with no option but to respond publicly.
He set out two formal demands: that Obi tender an unreserved public apology to the airport workers he accused of targeting him, and that Obi return to the airport to pay the N25,000 fine he avoided through what Keyamo described as influence peddling. Should Obi fail to meet both conditions within seven days, the minister said he would direct FAAN to take further action.
Obi Speaks on Dumping 2027 Ambition
Previously, Legit.ng reported that 2027 presidential candidate of the NDC, Peter Obi, said he would be prepared to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if credible evidence proving he is unfit for office is presented. Obi made the remark while explaining his decision to pursue legal action against a former spokesperson, insisting that the case is aimed at ensuring all allegations against public office seekers are openly scrutinised.
