The presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has rejected claims made by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, over the recent airport parking controversy, accusing the minister of presenting a misleading account and unfairly targeting him for political reasons.
The dispute follows Keyamo’s demand that Obi publicly apologise to airport officials and pay a N25,000 fine over an alleged wrongful parking incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja or face further action.
Responding through a statement issued on Saturday by his media office and signed by spokesperson Zekeri Idris, Obi maintained that the incident referenced by the minister was not the same one he had described during a recent interview.
According to the statement, the event highlighted by Keyamo occurred when Obi was not present, insisting that the minister had confused two separate incidents.
“The incident you posted is entirely different from the one Mr Peter Obi narrated in his interview. In that interview, he clearly stated: ‘I was there…’ In the incident contained in your tweet, he was not present,” the statement said.
Obi’s camp further argued that the existence of multiple incidents involving vehicles linked to him suggested a pattern of selective treatment. The statement questioned why other vehicles parked in the same area were reportedly not sanctioned while those associated with the opposition figure were singled out.
The former Anambra State governor also dismissed claims that he travels with a police officer serving as his driver. His media office stated that, despite being a prominent opposition leader entitled to high-level security, he currently has no police or Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel attached to him in Abuja.
The statement also challenged Keyamo’s claim that the vehicle remained parked for about 30 minutes, insisting the entire sequence—from arrival to the clamping of the vehicle—lasted roughly five minutes. It further criticised the publication of CCTV footage showing Obi’s movements, describing it as a potential security risk for a leading opposition figure.
Obi’s media office additionally referenced previous airport incidents involving former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (K1 De Ultimate), questioning why similar actions were not taken in those cases. It also criticised Keyamo’s warning that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) could take action against Obi, arguing that the minister should not appear to act as both complainant and decision-maker.
Concluding the statement, Obi’s spokesperson said the matter extends beyond a parking dispute, raising broader concerns about equal treatment under the law, the neutrality of public institutions and the protection of opposition figures in a constitutional democracy.
