The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has dismissed claims by the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, that his life is under threat, saying there is no reason for anyone to wish him dead. According to Umahi, Obi will remain alive to contest the 2027 presidential election and, in his view, lose once again.
Speaking during an inspection of ongoing legacy projects in Ebonyi State on Friday, Umahi described Obi’s remarks as a reflection of frustration rather than reality. He argued that the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, especially in the South East, have weakened Obi’s political influence across the region.
Umahi maintained that no one was interested in harming Obi, stressing that Nigerians would rather see him participate in the next election.
He said, “Nobody wants Peter Obi dead. That does not make sense. We all want him alive so he can contest the election and see the outcome again. What he is worried about is that he believes the South East belongs to him politically because of what happened in the last election, which I consider an accident of history.”
The minister said the Tinubu administration has delivered visible projects in the South East, adding that many people in the region now believe they stand to gain more by supporting the current government than by embracing what he described as politics driven by artificial narratives.
Umahi also repeated his readiness to publicly debate Obi on the performance of the present administration and why, according to him, the South East should appreciate its growing role in national affairs under President Tinubu.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has demanded that Obi publicly apologise to officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and pay a N25,000 fine over an incident involving the clamping of his vehicle at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Keyamo’s reaction followed Obi’s recent comments about the incident, in which he suggested that his vehicle was unfairly targeted after airport officials clamped its tyres. Obi had also hinted that the action reflected a pattern of persecution against him.
Responding through a statement shared on his X account. Keyamo said he ordered an internal investigation into the matter to establish the facts. He explained that the airport’s extensive CCTV coverage made it possible to review exactly what happened.
According to the minister, the footage showed that on Saturday, July 4, 2026, Obi arrived at the airport’s domestic terminal at about 8:28 p.m. in a vehicle driven by a police officer. After Obi and two other occupants entered the terminal, the driver parked the vehicle in a restricted drop off area, leaving it unattended.
Keyamo stated that although the vehicle was initially left untouched, the police driver later returned briefly to collect an item before leaving the vehicle again. Airport security officials eventually clamped the tyres after discovering that the car had been abandoned in the prohibited zone.
He insisted that, contrary to Obi’s claims, there was nobody inside the vehicle when officials carried out the enforcement action, adding that airport personnel had no way of knowing the vehicle belonged to Obi.
According to Keyamo, the police officer later returned, discovered the clamp and was directed to the appropriate office. He then contacted Obi by phone and handed the device to the airport manager.
The minister alleged that Obi identified himself during the call and requested that the vehicle be released. He claimed the request was granted without the required parking penalty being paid.
Keyamo further said the vehicle remained unattended in the restricted area for about 30 minutes, describing the situation as a serious security concern by international airport standards.
He accused Obi of attempting to create unnecessary political controversy over an incident caused by his own driver’s actions. He also rejected Obi’s suggestion that other vehicles had committed similar violations on the same day, insisting that the claim was untrue.
According to Keyamo, the matter had already been resolved by airport authorities before Obi decided to speak publicly about it. He argued that the former presidential candidate presented a misleading version of events in an effort to gain political sympathy.
The aviation minister insisted that Obi must publicly apologise to the FAAN officials who carried out their duties, saying they were unfairly portrayed as agents of persecution.
He also demanded that Obi return to the airport and pay the N25,000 penalty for the parking violation, arguing that no individual, regardless of status or political ambition, should be treated as being above the law.
Keyamo warned that if Obi fails to meet both demands within one week, he would direct the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to take further action in line with its regulations.
To support his position, the minister also released CCTV footage of the incident on his X account, saying it clearly showed what transpired at the airport.
