Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has accepted an offer by Nnaemeka Ikerionwu to pay the ₦25,000 fine imposed on Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi over an alleged violation of airport parking regulations.

The development follows Keyamo’s earlier directive giving Obi seven days to publicly apologise to airport officials and pay the fine for allegedly breaching parking rules at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The controversy arose after Obi, during a podcast interview, alleged that his vehicle was clamped at the airport while other vehicles parked in the same area were not sanctioned. He cited the incident as part of what he described as a pattern of harassment against him and his associates.

In response, Keyamo rejected the allegation and released CCTV footage which he said showed the circumstances surrounding the parking violation, maintaining that airport authorities acted in line with existing regulations.

The incident generated widespread reactions, with some of Obi’s supporters accusing the government of targeting the opposition figure ahead of the January elections.

In a letter later shared on X by public affairs commentator @Onsogbu, Ikerionwu apologised to the minister over the controversy and offered to settle the fine on Obi’s behalf.

Responding to the offer, Keyamo directed Ikerionwu to liaise with the Director of Commercial and Business Development of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to complete the payment process.

The minister also criticised Obi’s earlier claims, saying the release of the CCTV footage had clarified the incident. He urged the NDC presidential candidate to avoid making what he described as unsubstantiated allegations of being targeted for political gain in the future.