Ibadan Airport: ‘Wike Lied, Tinubu Didn’t Give Oyo N50bn’ – Governor Seyi Makinde
KATSINA, NIGERIA—Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has flatly debunked claims made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, that the Federal Government allocated N50 billion to Oyo State for the ongoing upgrade of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola International Airport in Ibadan.
Speaking on Tuesday during the Makinde/Daura 2027 North-West Consultative Town Hall meeting in Katsina State, Governor Makinde described the Minister’s statements as false, clarifying that the massive infrastructural project is being funded 100 percent by the Oyo State Government.
The Genesis of the N50 Billion Dispute
The political friction reignited on Monday when Wike appeared on a live television programme in TVC News. During the programme, Wike alleged that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu supported Makinde’s government with N50 billion to upgrade the Ibadan airport to international standards.
Wike made the assertion while defending himself against internal political criticisms, arguing that he was not the only member of the G5—a faction of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors from the 2023 elections—benefiting from the Tinubu-led federal administration.
According to Wike, the multi-billion naira airport fund was part of the federal support extended to Oyo State.
Makinde Fires Back: ‘Not a Single Dime’
Reacting at the regional political stakeholders meeting in Katsina, Makinde took the stage to set the record straight. “My attention was called to an interview granted yesterday by the minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, where he said that the president gave N50 billion to Oyo State or to me to upgrade the airport in Ibadan to international standards,” Makinde said. “I want to say that claim is false. The president did not give N50 billion to me or to Oyo State to upgrade the Ibadan airport. The airport upgrade project is being undertaken 100 percent with the money of Oyo State.”
State-Backed Funding Mechanics
The expansion of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport was flagged off by the Makinde administration in September 2024 with an initial contract value of N41 billion. While the federal administration gave regulatory approvals and an endorsement for the upgrade to international status, the governor maintains that no financial mobilization was wired from Abuja to Oyo’s coffers for the execution.
He added that his administration has simultaneously integrated independent funding into adjacent infrastructure, such as the 21km Airport-Ajia-New Ife Express Road, to optimize the facility’s eventual commercial footprint.
2027 Political Undercurrents
The public disagreement underscores emerging geopolitical realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. Makinde, who is currently the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), used the North-West consultative engagement to consult with regional stakeholders and listen to local concerns.
The open dismissal of Wike’s claim signals a widening ideological rift between the two prominent political figures, who previously acted as close allies within the G5 integrity group.
