By David Oluwatosin
Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, has rejected claims by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, that President Bola Tinubu provided N50 billion for the upgrade of the Ibadan Airport.
Makinde described the claim as false, insisting that the ongoing upgrade of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport was being financed entirely by the Oyo State Government.
He spoke on Tuesday at the APM North-West Town Hall Meeting in Katsina, where he responded to comments made by Wike during a television programme a day earlier.
Wike, while appearing on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, had said Tinubu provided N50 billion to support Makinde’s plan to upgrade the airport to international standards.
The FCT minister cited the alleged funding as an example of how members of the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) G5 had benefited from the Tinubu administration.
However, Makinde said no such funding was received from the Federal Government.
“My attention was called to an interview granted yesterday by the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, where he said that the President gave N50 billion to Oyo State or to me to upgrade the airport in Ibadan to international standards.
“I want to say that claim is false. The President did not give N50 billion to me or to Oyo State to upgrade the Ibadan Airport. The airport upgrade project is being undertaken 100 per cent with the money of Oyo State,” Makinde said.
Makinde’s administration commenced the upgrade of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport in September 2024, with the project initially awarded at N41 billion.
Contemporary reports on the groundbreaking ceremony stated that the project was awarded to Craneburg Construction Company and was intended to upgrade the facility to international standards.
The upgrade is aimed at improving Ibadan’s connectivity with international markets and supporting investment and economic activity in Oyo State.
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The dispute over the source of funding comes against the backdrop of political differences between Makinde and Wike ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Makinde, who is now the APM presidential candidate, and Wike were previously members of the PDP G5 that opposed the presidential bid of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 election.
The other members of the group were former Benue Governor Samuel Ortom, former Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and former Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
Wike contested the PDP presidential primary in 2022, polling 237 votes against Atiku’s 371 votes.
The two politicians have since taken different political positions ahead of 2027, with Wike supporting Tinubu’s re-election bid while Makinde is seeking the presidency on the platform of the APM.
