Makinde says Wike is wrong about N50bn for Ibadan Airport

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has accused Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, of lying about a supposed N50 billion from the Federal Government for the upgrade of the Ibadan International Airport.

Makinde spoke to his supporters at the Makinde/Daura 2027 Presidential Town Hall meeting in Katsina on Tuesday. He said the Oyo State Government has not received any N50 billion from the Federal Government. He added that the upgrade of the Ladoke Akintola International Airport in Ibadan was completely funded by the state government.

Wike had appeared on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout programme on Monday. He claimed that the government led by President Bola Tinubu provided N50 billion to support the Oyo State Government with the airport project.

During the meeting, which our correspondent monitored on television, Makinde insisted that the state funded the project without any Federal Government money. He emphasized that the claim of N50 billion being given for the airport was not true.

Makinde said, “We are here at the Northwest Consultative Meeting. We met with our candidate, stakeholders, and listened to you.

“But before I go into a few things, let me start by saying that my attention was drawn to an interview granted yesterday by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, where he said that the President gave N50 billion to Oyo State to upgrade the Ibadan Airport to international standards.

“I want to say that claim is false. The President did not give me or Oyo State N50 billion to upgrade the Ibadan Airport. The Ibadan Airport upgrade project is being undertaken 100 per cent with the funds of Oyo State.”