ABUJA: Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has strongly criticized the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, over the ongoing controversy surrounding an airport parking incident, accusing the minister of misrepresenting the facts and using public office to pursue political interests.
The disagreement follows Keyamo’s demand that Obi publicly apologize to airport authorities and pay a ₦25,000 fine over the alleged improper parking of a vehicle linked to him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The minister also warned that failure to comply could attract further action from aviation authorities.
Responding through a statement issued by his media office and signed by spokesperson Zekeri Idris, Obi dismissed Keyamo’s claims, insisting that the minister had deliberately confused two separate incidents in an attempt to portray him negatively.
According to the statement, the airport episode referenced by Keyamo was not the same event Obi had discussed during a recent interview.
“The incident cited by the minister is entirely different from the one Mr. Obi described publicly. During the interview, he clearly explained the circumstances surrounding the event and was personally present. The incident contained in the minister’s social media post involved a different situation altogether,” the statement said.
Obi’s media office argued that the emergence of multiple incidents involving vehicles associated with the former Anambra State governor raises serious questions about whether he is being unfairly singled out because of his political status.
The statement suggested that repeated actions against vehicles linked to Obi point to a pattern that deserves public scrutiny rather than dismissal.
“If there have now been at least two separate incidents involving vehicles connected to Mr. Obi under questionable circumstances, Nigerians are justified in asking whether there is a deliberate effort to target him simply because he is a prominent opposition figure,” the statement added.
Obi also rejected suggestions that he enjoys extraordinary security privileges or that a police officer serves as his driver.
The statement maintained that despite being one of Nigeria’s leading opposition politicians and a former presidential candidate, Obi currently has no police or Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel permanently attached to him in Abuja.
It further stated that he frequently travels across Nigeria and has often encountered what it described as discourteous treatment from certain government officials.
Addressing the parking allegation itself, Obi’s media office disputed claims that the vehicle remained in the prohibited area for as long as 30 minutes.
According to the statement, the entire sequence of events—from arrival to the eventual clamping of the vehicle—lasted approximately five minutes.
It argued that at many international airports around the world, vehicles are commonly allowed a short grace period for passenger drop-offs before enforcement measures are taken.
The statement therefore questioned how the claim of a 30-minute violation was established.
Obi also challenged aviation authorities to explain why other vehicles reportedly parked in the same vicinity at the time were not subjected to similar enforcement measures.
The statement claimed several vehicles were already parked in the area before the arrival of the vehicle associated with Obi, yet none of them was clamped.
The former presidential candidate’s media office further raised concerns over the publication of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showing Obi’s movements at the airport.
According to the statement, releasing such footage on a personal social media platform raises significant security concerns, particularly for a high-profile opposition leader.
It argued that while the footage failed to establish any wrongdoing, it unnecessarily exposed Obi’s movements and could potentially compromise his personal security.
Drawing comparisons with previous controversies involving other public figures, including former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Fuji music star Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, Obi questioned why similar public action or official threats were not directed at them.
The statement also criticized Keyamo’s warning that he could instruct the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take further action against Obi.
It accused the minister of assuming multiple roles in the matter by acting as complainant, investigator and potential decision-maker simultaneously.
“Is the minister now the accuser, investigator, judge and executioner in the same matter?” the statement queried.
“Does occupying the office of Minister of Aviation automatically make one the law?”
Obi maintained that the controversy extends beyond a simple parking dispute and touches on broader issues affecting Nigeria’s democracy.
According to his media office, the matter raises important questions about equal treatment before the law, the neutrality of government institutions, the protection of opposition figures and the standards expected in a constitutional democracy.
The statement concluded by calling on relevant authorities to address these concerns transparently and ensure that public institutions operate fairly, professionally and without political bias.
The airport dispute has continued to generate widespread public debate, with supporters of both Obi and Keyamo expressing sharply divided opinions over whether the enforcement action reflected routine application of airport regulations or amounted to selective treatment based on political affiliation.
As the controversy unfolds, many Nigerians are awaiting further clarification from aviation authorities regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident and whether additional action will be taken.
