The Minister of Aviation has called on Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to publicly apologize to airport personnel and pay a ₦25,000 fine following an investigation into a recent parking incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
According to the minister, the decision followed an internal review prompted by Peter Obi’s public allegation that his vehicle was unfairly clamped at the airport as part of a campaign of political persecution against him.
The minister explained that a thorough investigation was conducted using the airport’s 24-hour CCTV surveillance system to establish the facts surrounding the incident. He maintained that the footage contradicted the claims of political victimization and instead showed that airport officials acted in accordance with established regulations.
According to the findings, Peter Obi arrived at the domestic terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Saturday, July 4, 2026, at approximately 8:28 p.m. He reportedly exited the vehicle with two other occupants while a police officer who was driving the vehicle parked it in the designated drop-off zone.
The minister stated that airport regulations require drivers to remain inside their vehicles in the drop-off area. However, the police driver allegedly left the vehicle unattended and entered the terminal, returning briefly before leaving it unattended again.
Airport security personnel subsequently clamped the vehicle’s tyres after observing that it had been abandoned in a restricted area. The minister stressed that officials were unaware of the vehicle’s ownership when they carried out the enforcement action, insisting that the rules apply equally to all airport users.
The statement further claimed that after discovering the vehicle had been clamped, the police driver contacted Peter Obi by phone and handed the device to an airport manager. During the conversation, Obi allegedly requested that the vehicle be released, after which it was reportedly freed without payment of the prescribed parking violation fee.
The minister added that the vehicle remained unattended in the prohibited zone for about 30 minutes, describing the situation as a significant security concern based on international airport safety standards.
He criticized Peter Obi for allegedly presenting the incident as political persecution, arguing that the available evidence showed it was simply an enforcement of airport regulations. The minister also dismissed claims that other vehicles committed similar violations on the same day.
As a result, the minister demanded that Peter Obi issue an unreserved public apology to the airport personnel involved, stating that they were merely performing their lawful duties.
He also requested that the former Anambra State governor voluntarily return to the airport to pay the ₦25,000 fine for the parking violation, emphasizing that no individual should be above the law.
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The minister warned that if both demands are not met within one week, he would direct the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take appropriate administrative action in line with its regulations.
