Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has rejected a claim by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike that President Bola Tinubu’s administration provided N50 billion to support the upgrade of the Ibadan Airport.
Makinde described the claim as false, insisting that the ongoing transformation of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport is being financed entirely by the Oyo State Government.
The governor spoke on Tuesday during a political town hall meeting in Katsina, where he said he had been informed about comments Wike made during a television programme...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Wike had reportedly said that Tinubu provided N50 billion to support Makinde’s plan to upgrade the airport to international standards. He used the alleged funding as an example while discussing his relationship with the Tinubu administration and the benefits received by members of the former G5 governors.
Makinde, however, strongly disputed the claim.
According to him, neither he nor the Oyo State Government received N50 billion from the President for the airport project. He maintained that the state has been responsible for financing the upgrade.
The governor’s media aide, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, also rejected Wike’s claim, saying the state government had records showing that the airport project was approved at no cost to the Federal Government.
Olanrewaju said the state had funded major components of the project, including the expansion and strengthening of the runway, improvements to airfield lighting and navigation systems, apron upgrades, aviation safety infrastructure, the Airport Road and the ongoing development of an international terminal.
The airport upgrade was formally launched in 2024, with the project initially estimated at about N41 billion. The domestic terminal upgrade was subsequently completed, while work on the international terminal and other facilities has continued.
The disagreement over the airport funding comes against the backdrop of political differences between Makinde and Wike ahead of the 2027 general election.
Makinde, who is seeking the presidency under the Allied Peoples Movement, has been holding consultations across the country as part of his campaign activities.
At the Katsina meeting, he also presented his proposed “Reset Nigeria” agenda, which focuses on areas including the economy, education, security and governance.
The governor called for greater involvement of state governments in the mining sector, arguing that states should have more responsibility while the Federal Government retains regulatory oversight.
He also discussed security concerns and referred to the recent deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in Niger State, arguing that government policies should address the economic conditions that push young Nigerians into dangerous activities.
The latest exchange between Makinde and Wike adds another layer to the political realignments already taking place ahead of the 2027 elections.
While Wike has continued to support Tinubu’s re-election bid, Makinde is pursuing his own presidential campaign under the APM. The two politicians previously belonged to the group of five PDP governors whose political decisions became a major factor in the 2023 election.
For now, the disputed N50 billion airport funding remains a point of contention, with Wike’s claim and Makinde’s rejection presenting two conflicting accounts of how the Ibadan Airport upgrade is being financed.
