The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has given permission to a netizen, identified on X as @Onsogbu, to proceed and offset the ₦25,000 fine imposed on the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi.
He gave the go-ahead in a post on X while replying to an offer by the internet user to settle the fine reportedly imposed on the former Anambra State governor.
Keyamo had previously given Obi a seven-day ultimatum to publicly apologise to airport officials and pay a ₦25,000 fine for allegedly violating parking regulations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Earlier, the former governor had, in a viral podcast interview, alleged a pattern of harassment aimed at frustrating his 2027 presidential ambition. He specifically noted that his vehicle was clamped at the Abuja airport while other vehicles parked in the same area were left untouched.
Clearing the air, Keyamo dismissed the claim by publishing CCTV footage revealing the moment the parking regulation was allegedly violated.
The development later triggered mixed reactions, with supporters of the NDC chieftain accusing the government of politically persecuting Obi ahead of the upcoming elections.
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Wading into the saga in a post, the X user tendered an apology to the Minister on behalf of Obi and offered to pay his fine.
He wrote, “Honourable Minister, please accept the ₦25,000 on his behalf once you provide the account, and kindly temper justice with mercy. He is our brother, but we acknowledge he must learn to live above board.”
Responding, Keyamo urged him to “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”.
He added that the ministry had burst Obi’s bubble by revealing the airport incident, stating that next time the NDC candidate should think twice before making claims.
“Now that we have burst his bubble, next time, @PeterObi should think twice before making outlandish claims of being targeted at our airports or anywhere for that matter in order to get ‘sympathy votes’.
“Nigerians have become too politically savvy to fall for such cheap political gimmicks from presidential candidates that emerged from miracle centres,” the minister added.