Peter Obi faces a one-week deadline to apologise and pay a fine, after Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo accused the 2027 NDC presidential candidate of fabricating claims of harassment at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Keyamo made the allegation on Thursday while speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television. He described Obi’s account as deliberate deception, saying, "That man was lying. He lies like a fish drinking water. He lies. He lies for fun."
The minister said Obi had framed the airport workers as persecutors by alleging he was singled out because of his political affiliation. Keyamo argued it was improper for an opposition candidate to present such claims without allowing for independent verification of the events he described.
DAILY POST reports Keyamo supplied a one-week ultimatum for Obi to both pay a fine and issue an apology to staff at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport for portraying them as responsible for the alleged harassment. The minister’s remarks and the deadline follow the public disagreement over how airport staff conducted themselves during Obi’s transit.
Keyamo’s statement underscores a broader political clash over public trust and accountability in encounters involving high-profile politicians and state personnel. The minister’s broadcast remarks give immediate force to his demands, placing the onus on Obi to respond within the specified timeframe.
What happens next is clear on paper, the next steps depend on whether Obi meets the ultimatum. If he does not apologise or pay the fine within seven days, Keyamo has already framed the issue as one resolved in his terms, leaving the potential for further escalation in public statements and political campaigning.
