.. Warns Obi to think twice next time
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development has accepted an offer from a third party to settle the N25,000 fine imposed on the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi.
The minister stated that the CCTV footage released effectively “burst the bubble” surrounding the former governor’s claims of harassment.
Details of the Incident
The conflict originated from a recent podcast interview where Peter Obi alleged that he might not survive to contest the 2027 presidential election, citing a pattern of harassment.
He specifically claimed his vehicle was clamped at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while other vehicles parked similarly were left untouched.
In response, the Minister dismissed these claims by releasing CCTV footage that he said proved the parking regulations were violated. He subsequently issued a seven-day ultimatum for Obi to publicly apologize to airport officials and pay the fine.
The Third-Party Intervention
The narrative shifted when a public affairs commentator, Mr. Nnaemeka Ikerionwu, offered to pay the fine on Obi’s behalf. Reacting to this development, the Minister directed that the payment be processed.
“He should proceed to see the Director of Commercial and Business Development for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and he will be directed on the mode of payment of the fine for the offender,” the Minister stated.
Keyamo’s Response
Following the acceptance, the Minister reiterated that the footage had exposed what he described as a political gimmick, suggesting that Obi should be more cautious in the future. He warned against what he termed an attempt to garner “sympathy votes.”
“Now that we have burst his bubble, next time, Peter Obi should think twice before making outlandish claims of being targeted at our airports or anywhere for that matter in order to get ‘sympathy votes’,” he said.
He further noted that Nigerians have become too politically savvy to fall for such tactics.
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