Keyamo approves third-party payment for alleged Peter Obi’s parking infraction

Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has approved a request by a third-party volunteer to settle the N25,000 fine imposed on Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), following a parking violation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The Minister directed the volunteer, identified as Nnaemeka Ikerionwu, to coordinate directly with the Director of Commercial and Business Development at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to complete the payment process.

The development follows a one-week ultimatum issued by Keyamo, demanding that the former Anambra State governor pay the statutory N25,000 penalty and tender a public apology to airport workers.

The directive was issued after an internal management inquiry—backed by closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage—allegedly invalidated Obi’s public claims that his vehicle was “unjustly” clamped as part of a political persecution campaign.

According to the ministry’s investigation report, Obi arrived at the domestic wing of the Abuja airport on July 4, 2026, where his vehicle, driven by a police orderly, was left unattended in a restricted drop-off zone for approximately 30 minutes.

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Airport security personnel subsequently immobilised the vehicle in line with standard safety regulations. The car was later released without the fine being paid after Obi reportedly intervened via a phone call with the airport manager.

Confirming the acceptance of the third-party payment via his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Keyamo stated: “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Please, Mr Nnaemeka Ikerionwu 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.

“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’.”

While the ministry’s directive confirms that the Federal Government will accept the financial settlement from a proxy, the statement did not clarify whether the demand for a public apology to FAAN officials has been waived.

At the time of filing this report, Peter Obi’s media team has not issued an official response regarding the third-party payment or the outstanding demand for an apology.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.