FG DIDN’T FUND IBADAN AIRPORT WITH N50BN — MAKINDE

Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, has rejected a claim by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that the Federal Government provided N50bn for the upgrade of the Ibadan International Airport.

Wike had made the claim while appearing on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout programme on Monday, saying the President Bola Tinubu-led administration supported the Oyo State Government with N50bn for the airport project.

Makinde, speaking at the Makinde/Daura 2027 Presidential Town Hall meeting in Katsina on Tuesday, said Oyo State did not receive the money and that the airport project was being funded entirely by the state government.

The governor described Wike’s claim as false, insisting that neither he nor the Oyo State Government received N50bn from the Federal Government for the airport upgrade.

Makinde’s media aide, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, also rejected the claim, saying there was no N50bn approval from the Federal Government for the project.

Olanrewaju said President Tinubu’s response to a proposal submitted by Makinde for the reconstruction and upgrade of the airport was that it was approved “at no cost to the Federal Government.”

He said the records of the approval were available to both the Presidency and the Oyo State Government, arguing that the alleged N50bn funding did not arise from any Federal Executive Council decision or official communication.

According to him, the Oyo State Government had so far financed the various components of the airport upgrade.

These include the expansion and strengthening of the runway, improvements to airfield lighting and navigation systems, apron upgrades, aviation safety installations and the construction of supporting infrastructure.

Olanrewaju also listed the dualisation of the Airport Road and ongoing work on a modern international terminal among the projects being undertaken as part of the airport transformation.

He criticised Wike for making the claim without, according to him, first obtaining the relevant information, and maintained that aviation infrastructure funding follows established procedures involving the Federal Ministry of Aviation and other regulatory agencies.

The dispute over the airport funding comes amid political differences between Makinde and members of the Federal Government as political activities ahead of the 2027 general election intensify.

Makinde Calls for Mining Devolution.

Meanwhile, Makinde has called for mining responsibilities to be devolved to state governments, arguing that states would perform better if given greater control over the sector.

Speaking in Katsina, the APM presidential candidate proposed that the Federal Government retain oversight while states take greater responsibility for mining activities within their territories.

Makinde said mining is currently on the Exclusive Legislative List and argued that transferring more responsibility to states would allow them to manage the sector more effectively.

The proposal came against the backdrop of the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State. The Federal Government has constituted an independent committee to investigate the identities of the deceased, their detention and the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Makinde also outlined his proposed “Reset Nigeria” agenda, which he said would focus on the economy, education, security and the country’s socio-political structure.

He said Nigeria needed to strengthen skills, knowledge and production, arguing that natural resources alone would not guarantee economic prosperity.

On education, Makinde said his administration would seek reliable data on the number of out-of-school children and develop measures to return them to school.

He also called for changes to Nigeria’s security architecture, citing the deaths of the 37 suspected illegal miners as an indication of the challenges facing the country.

Makinde Promises to Transmit Power

Makinde also criticised President Tinubu’s reported working leave, questioning the decision not to transmit power to the Vice President.

He cited Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides for the President to transmit a written declaration to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives when proceeding on vacation or otherwise unable to discharge the functions of office.

The Oyo governor said that if elected president, he would comply with the constitutional provision and transmit power to the Vice President whenever he was unavailable to perform his duties.

He said his campaign would focus on issues and described the task of changing Nigeria as challenging but achievable with public support.

Makinde also urged Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards and participate in the 2027 election, while promoting his proposed “Reset Agenda.”

He said he would continue consultations across the North-West states, including Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Zamfara and Jigawa, as part of the APM’s campaign activities.

The APM Vice-Presidential candidate, Lawal Daura, said the North-West was particularly concerned about insecurity and poverty, adding that the party intended to present policies aimed at addressing the challenges.

APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, said a Makinde-led administration would prioritise security and restore normalcy across the country.

The Katsina meeting formed part of the campaign organisation’s planned nationwide town hall consultations ahead of the 2027 general election, with subsequent engagements expected in other geopolitical zones.