Makinde Rejects Wike’s N50bn Claim, Says Oyo Alone Funding Ibadan Airport Upgrade

Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, has disputed a claim by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that the Federal Government provided N50bn to support the upgrade of the Ladoke Akintola International Airport in Ibadan.

Makinde made his position known on Tuesday while addressing supporters and stakeholders at the Makinde/Daura 2027 Presidential Town Hall meeting in Katsina. Reports of his response were published on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.

The controversy followed comments reportedly made by Wike during his appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, where the FCT minister said President Bola Tinubu’s administration had provided N50bn in support of the airport project.

Makinde, however, rejected the claim, maintaining that the ongoing transformation of the Ibadan airport was being financed entirely by the Oyo State Government.

Addressing the gathering in Katsina, the governor said he had been informed of Wike’s comments before responding to them.

“We are here at the Northwest Consultative Meeting. We met with our candidate, stakeholders, and listened to you.

“But before I go into a few things, let me start by saying that my attention was drawn to an interview granted yesterday by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, where he said that the President gave N50 billion to Oyo State to upgrade the Ibadan Airport to international standards.

“I want to say that claim is false. 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.”

The dispute comes as Makinde’s campaign organisation has begun a series of zonal town hall engagements ahead of the 2027 general election, with the North-West meeting taking place in Katsina.

The governor’s latest statement therefore directly contests Wike’s account of Federal Government support for the airport project, leaving the two political figures with differing accounts of the source of funding for the ongoing upgrade.