The Minister of Aviation has issued a stern ultimatum to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, demanding an apology over what he described as unruly conduct at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
In a strongly worded statement, the Minister gave Obi one week to tender an unreserved, public apology to airport staff and pay a N25,000 fine for wrongful parking—or face further sanctions from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The controversy stemed from an incident on Saturday, July 4, 2026, when Obi arrived at the domestic wing of the Abuja airport at 20:28. According to the Minister, who says he reviewed CCTV footage, Obi was driven by a policeman who parked the vehicle in a drop-off zone, “almost blocking the entrance,” and left it unattended for about 30 minutes—a period the Minister described as constituting “a security risk at an airport by global best practices”.
A search of search results confirms that airport regulations prohibit this kind of parking. FAAN has previously advised motorists to always park their vehicles at designated car parks to avoid penalties, with a N25,000 fine for violations. Airport rules stipulate that drivers must remain behind the wheel for vehicles to be tolerated in drop-off zones.
Airport security staff clamped the vehicle after the policeman left it unattended. When the officer returned and discovered the clamp, he was directed to an office where he called Obi.
The Minister’s statement claims that Obi “peddled his ‘influence'” over the phone and “requested for the release of the vehicle,” which was granted without payment of the fine.
However, Obi has since gone public with a different narrative. In an interview that surfaced on social media, Obi claimed he was being “deliberately frustrated” by the government and that airport officials targeted his vehicle while other cars parked in the same area were left untouched.
Obi also claimed that people now avoid being seen with him “because they fear becoming targets of the government”.
The Minister dismissed Obi’s claims as an attempt to “whip up unnecessary sentiments for a wrong he committed with his driver.” The statement emphasised that “every Nigerian is entitled to fair treatment under the law” and that Obi “cannot be bigger than the law”.
The Minister noted that the airport authorities had not publicly raised the matter and considered it resolved until Obi chose to “go on air to render a false narrative”.
The Presidency has also weighed in, with a statement from the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy dismissing Obi’s allegations as “false, misleading and designed to attract public sympathy”.
- Tender an “unreserved, public apology” to airport staff
- Voluntarily return to the airport to pay the N25,000 fine
“If these demands are not met within one week, I will be giving the necessary directives to FAAN to take the next steps against him,” the Minister warned.
The development adds to the growing political tension ahead of the 2027 election, with opposition figures increasingly accusing the government of harassment while authorities insist they are simply enforcing the law.
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