Oyo State Governor and Alliance for Progressives Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, has firmly dismissed as false recent claims that his administration received a N50 billion bailout from the Federal Government to upgrade the Ladoke Akintola International Airport in Ibadan.
The governor’s response was triggered by comments made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who alleged during a television appearance on Monday that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration had provided the massive sum to support the Oyo State airport project.
Addressing supporters at the Makinde/Daura 2027 Presidential Town Hall meeting in Katsina on Tuesday, Makinde categorically rejected the assertion, moving quickly to set the record straight before his audience and the wider public.
“I want to say that the claim is false. The President did not give me or Oyo State N50 billion to upgrade the Ibadan Airport,” Makinde stated. “The Ibadan Airport upgrade project is undertaken 100 per cent with the funds of Oyo State.”
The public correction highlights the delicate political dynamics surrounding infrastructure development and credit-claiming in Nigeria. By insisting that the project is entirely state-funded, Makinde is not only correcting the public record but also reinforcing his administration’s narrative of fiscal independence, competence, and self-reliance as he positions himself for the 2027 presidential race.
As the next election cycle gains momentum, the battle over who gets to claim ownership of developmental milestones will only intensify. For now, Makinde has drawn a firm line, ensuring that the narrative surrounding the Ibadan airport’s expansion remains anchored to state resources rather than federal patronage.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
