ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has given the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, a seven-day ultimatum to publicly apologise to airport officials and pay a N25,000 fine over the alleged violation of parking regulations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
In a statement issued on Friday, Keyamo said an internal investigation, supported by CCTV footage from the airport, contradicted Obi’s recent claim that his vehicle was unfairly clamped as an act of political persecution.
According to the minister, the incident occurred on July 4 when Obi arrived at the domestic terminal of the airport at about 8:28pm.
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He alleged that after Obi alighted from the vehicle, his police driver parked in a designated drop-off zone, left the vehicle unattended and entered the terminal, contrary to airport regulations.
Keyamo said the driver later returned briefly before leaving the vehicle unattended once again, prompting airport security officials to clamp its tyres.
He insisted that airport personnel were unaware the vehicle belonged to Obi when the enforcement action was taken.
The minister further claimed that after discovering the vehicle had been clamped, the driver contacted Obi, who subsequently spoke with the airport manager and requested that the vehicle be released.
According to Keyamo, the vehicle was released without payment of the stipulated N25,000 penalty.
He said leaving a vehicle unattended in a restricted airport area for about 30 minutes constituted a serious security risk and breached international aviation safety standards.
Keyamo accused Obi of attempting to attract political sympathy by presenting the enforcement action as an act of persecution.
He argued that the matter had already been resolved before Obi publicly alleged that he had been treated unfairly.
The minister called on Obi to issue an unreserved public apology to airport officials, whom he said were simply carrying out their lawful responsibilities, and voluntarily return to pay the parking fine.
Keyamo warned that if Obi failed to comply within seven days, he would direct the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to take further action.