RismadarVoice Reporters
September 23, 2026
Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, has rejected a claim by Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike that President Bola Tinubu provided ₦50 billion to support the upgrade of the Ladoke Akintola International Airport in Ibadan.
Makinde said the airport project was being financed entirely by the Oyo State Government and that no ₦50 billion was received from the Federal Government for the upgrade.
He spoke on Tuesday while addressing supporters at the Makinde/Daura 2027 Presidential Town Hall meeting in Katsina.
His response followed Wike’s claim during a television appearance on Monday that the Tinubu administration had provided Oyo State with ₦50 billion for the airport project.
“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,” Makinde said.
The Oyo State Government subsequently maintained that federal approval for the airport upgrade was granted on the condition that the project would be undertaken at no cost to the Federal Government.
Makinde also used the town hall meeting to outline some of his campaign proposals ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He pledged to comply with constitutional provisions governing the temporary transfer of presidential powers to the Vice President whenever necessary if elected.
Makinde also proposed removing mining from the Exclusive Legislative List and giving states greater responsibility for the sector, while retaining federal oversight.
On education, he said his proposed administration would seek reliable data on the number of out-of-school children and introduce measures aimed at returning them to classrooms.
He urged eligible Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards and participate in the 2027 general election.
APM vice-presidential candidate Lawal Daura, who also addressed the gathering, identified insecurity and poverty among the major challenges confronting the North-West and said further details of the campaign’s policy proposals would be presented as electioneering progresses.
