Makinde denies Tinubu gave Oyo N50bn for Ibadan airport upgrade

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has rejected a claim that President Bola Tinubu gave Oyo State N50 billion for the upgrade of the Ladoke Akintola International Airport in Ibadan.

Makinde said the project is being paid for entirely by the Oyo State Government. He spoke on Tuesday at the Makinde/Daura 2027 Presidential Town Hall meeting in Katsina, after FCT Minister Nyesom Wike claimed during a television interview that Tinubu had supported Oyo with N50 billion for the airport work.

The dispute puts fresh attention on the funding of the Ibadan airport project, which Oyo officials have presented as a state-led upgrade. Makinde said no such federal payment was made to him or to the state government.

“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,” he said, according to reports from the event.

Wike had made the claim on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday. Premium Times reported that the FCT minister said the Tinubu administration had supported the Oyo government with N50 billion for the upgrade to international standards.

Makinde also used the town hall to speak about presidential succession if elected in 2027. He said he would transmit power to the vice president whenever he is unavailable, citing Section 145 of the Constitution.

The airport comments came during Makinde’s North-West campaign engagement as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement. His denial was reported by Daily Trust, Premium Times and Channels Television.

Sources: Daily Trust, Premium Times, Channels Television