TDThe media office of Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has issued a detailed rebuttal to Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo’s statement accusing the former Anambra State governor of violating airport regulations and seeking preferential treatment after his vehicle was clamped at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
In an open letter signed by the spokesperson for the Peter Obi Media Office, Idris Zekeri Jnr., the opposition camp disputed several aspects of Keyamo’s account.
Zekeri insisted that the incident highlighted by the minister was different from the one Obi referenced during a recent media interview.
The exchange follows Keyamo’s public statement demanding that Obi apologise to airport officials and pay a ₦25,000 parking fine over the July 4, 2026, incident.
Keyamo’s Allegations
In a statement accompanied by CCTV footage, Keyamo said an internal investigation showed Obi’s vehicle was improperly parked in a restricted drop-off zone at the Abuja airport after arriving around 8:28 p.m. on July 4.
According to the minister, the vehicle was left unattended by a police driver, prompting airport security personnel to clamp its tyres in line with safety regulations.
He further alleged that Obi later used his influence to secure the vehicle’s release without paying the prescribed fine.
Keyamo argued that the vehicle remained unattended for approximately 30 minutes, creating a security risk, and accused Obi of falsely portraying the incident as political persecution.
The minister subsequently demanded a public apology to airport staff and payment of the outstanding fine.
He warned that failure to comply within one week could lead to further action by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Obi Camp Rejects Minister’s Version
Responding in an open letter, Zekeri dismissed Keyamo’s narrative.
He stated that Obi neither has police nor Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel attached to him in Abuja, contrary to the minister’s assertion that a police officer was driving the vehicle.
He said the minister appeared to have assumed Obi enjoyed the level of security typically accorded to senior political figures.
The spokesman also argued that the CCTV footage released by Keyamo related to an entirely different incident from the one Obi described during his interview.
According to him, Obi had stated that he was personally present during the incident he recounted, whereas the minister’s footage allegedly showed an event in which Obi was absent.
Dispute Over Timeline
Zekeri challenged Keyamo’s claim that the vehicle was left unattended for about 30 minutes.
He maintained that the entire sequence—from the vehicle’s arrival to the clamping—lasted approximately five minutes.
He added that many international airports generally permit a short drop-off window.
He also questioned the basis for the minister’s 30-minute claim, describing it as misleading.
Claims of Selective Enforcement
The Peter Obi Media Office further alleged that several other vehicles were present in the same area at the time but were not subjected to enforcement action.
It argued that senior government officials and political figures have on previous occasions disrupted airport operations without attracting similar sanctions.
The letter specifically referenced previous airport controversies involving former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1).
It asked why CCTV footage from those incidents was never publicly released.
Security and Political Concerns
Beyond disputing the parking allegations, the opposition camp expressed concern over Keyamo’s publication of CCTV footage showing Obi’s movements.
The spokesman questioned whether releasing such footage could constitute a security risk for a leading opposition figure.
He asked whether similar footage involving other presidential contenders or senior government officials would also be made public.
The letter further questioned whether the minister was acting simultaneously as complainant, investigator and enforcer by threatening further action against Obi.
It argued that the matter raises broader questions about equal treatment before the law, institutional neutrality and the protection of opposition figures in a constitutional democracy.
Reactions Online
The open letter generated significant discussion on X, with supporters of both men offering contrasting interpretations of the dispute.
Many users praised the Peter Obi Media Office for issuing a detailed point-by-point response and questioned the release of CCTV footage.
Meanwhile, others defended Keyamo’s insistence that airport rules should apply equally to all Nigerians regardless of political status.
Some commenters argued that the matter should be resolved through established legal and administrative procedures rather than public exchanges on social media.
The public disagreement has added a new dimension to an already contentious debate over Peter Obi’s allegation that he has faced repeated harassment by government officials during his travels, an accusation the Federal Government has consistently denied.
