The Oyo State Government has rejected claims by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, that the Federal Government provided N50 billion for the reconstruction and upgrade of the Ladoke Akintola International Airport in Ibadan.
The state government described the claim as false, insisting that the airport project was being financed entirely by Oyo State.
The position was contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, following comments reportedly made by Wike during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday. Wike had said President Bola Tinubu provided N50 billion to support the airport upgrade.
Olanrewaju said the Federal Government’s approval for the project was granted on the express condition that the reconstruction and upgrade would be undertaken 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.
According to the statement, Oyo State had solely financed the comprehensive transformation of the airport, including the expansion and strengthening of the runway, upgrading of airfield lighting and navigational systems, apron improvements and enhanced aviation safety installations.
The project also includes the dualisation of the Airport Road and the ongoing construction of a modern international terminal.
The state government maintained that there was no evidence of a Federal Executive Council decision, presidential approval or statutory aviation infrastructure process supporting the alleged N50 billion funding.
Olanrewaju said funding for aviation infrastructure was subject to established due-process procedures involving the Federal Ministry of Aviation and other relevant regulatory agencies.
He accused the FCT minister of making an unsubstantiated claim capable of misleading members of the public and distorting public understanding of government finances.
“The Oyo State Government will not allow misinformation, especially one of this magnitude, to be weaponised for political point-scoring or used to distort public understanding of government finances,” he said.
He added that the claim was “false, reckless and misleading” and could undermine public confidence if left unchallenged.
The controversy follows Governor Makinde’s earlier statement that the airport upgrade was being undertaken entirely with funds from the Oyo State Government. Makinde said the project was initially flagged off in September 2024 at a cost of about N41 billion, while the domestic terminal was completed in October 2025 and work on the international terminal remains ongoing.
The dispute comes amid heightened political disagreements ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Wike and Makinde now backing different political interests.
The Oyo Government, however, said its position on the airport funding was based on official records and urged public officials to exercise restraint and responsibility when commenting on government projects and finances.
For now, the two competing accounts remain sharply at odds: Wike has said the Tinubu administration provided N50 billion to support the airport project, while the Oyo State Government and Governor Makinde maintain that the project is being funded entirely by the state.
Leave a comment