APM presidential candidate says Oyo airport expansion is being funded entirely by state government

By Zaharaddeen Ishaq Abubakar | Katsina Times

The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has rejected a claim by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu provided ₦50 billion to support the upgrade of the Ibadan Airport.

Makinde described the claim as false while speaking on Tuesday at the APM North-West Town Hall Meeting held at the Paragon Events Centre in Katsina.

The governor’s remarks came a day after Wike, during a television interview, said President Tinubu had extended support to Makinde by providing ₦50 billion for the expansion of the Oyo State airport.

Responding to the claim, Makinde said: “The president did not give ₦50 billion to me or ₦50 billion to all your states to upgrade the Ibadan Airport. Ibadan Airport’s upgrade project is being undertaken 100 per cent with the money of Oyo State.”

Makinde, who is seeking to succeed President Tinubu in 2027, said his visit to Katsina was part of efforts by the APM to present its “Reset Nigeria” agenda to voters and stakeholders across the North-West.

The North-West zone comprises Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna and Zamfara states.

Four-point reset agenda

The APM candidate said his proposed administration would focus on four major areas: economic reform, education, security and restructuring of Nigeria’s socio-political system.

He said the economic component of the agenda would seek to move Nigeria beyond dependence on natural resources by promoting entrepreneurship, skills and knowledge, as well as intensive production.

According to him, Nigeria must develop an economy capable of operating around the clock in order to compete with other economies globally.

“Natural resources alone cannot lead to economic prosperity. There are three elements that must be present: you must have entrepreneurship, you must have skills and knowledge, and you must also have intensive production,” he said.

Makinde also promised to prioritise education, particularly by establishing reliable data on the number of out-of-school children and developing mechanisms for returning them to classrooms.

On security, he referred to the deaths of 37 young people in Niger State in an incident involving illegal mining and questioned whether young Nigerians should bear the consequences of a system that provides limited legitimate economic opportunities.

He argued that the government should address the demand side of illegal mining by regulating and legalising viable mining activities while strengthening oversight.

Makinde further advocated the devolution of mining responsibilities to state governments, with the Federal Government retaining regulatory oversight.

He said his administration would also examine the appropriate level of government for making decisions on issues directly affecting citizens.

Dantalle: ‘Let us reset Nigeria’

The APM National Chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, said the party’s message was straightforward: Nigerians who believe the country needed a different direction should join the movement.

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Dantalle said insecurity had affected the ability of Nigerians to move freely, conduct businesses and pursue education.

He said the situation had become so serious that political leaders and supporters could no longer travel as freely as they did in the past because of security concerns.

“Let our farmers go back to the farms. Let our children go to school freely. Let Nigerians coexist and go about their normal businesses. We must put a stop to insecurity, hunger and inaccessibility to education and eradicate poverty as well,” Dantalle said.

The APM chairman described Makinde as a young and pragmatic candidate and said his record in Oyo State could be assessed by Nigerians.

He also highlighted the choice of former intelligence and security official Lawal Musa Daura as Makinde’s running mate, describing him as a security expert who would contribute to addressing security challenges in the North-West and Nigeria generally.

Daura promises focus on insecurity, poverty

The APM vice-presidential candidate, Lawal Musa Daura, said the North-West’s major challenges included insecurity and poverty, which he described as closely connected.

Daura said he supported Makinde’s presidential ambition because of the candidate’s stated objective of resetting Nigeria.

“This country needs resetting. Fortunately, that is the mindset of our presidential candidate. I was easily bought in by that position and mindset,” he said.

He said details of the APM’s programme would be presented during the campaign but identified the restoration of security as an immediate priority.

Daura urged Nigerians to exercise their constitutional rights during the 2027 elections and support what he described as the party’s proposed change.

He also appealed to supporters not to lose confidence in the political project, describing the journey as sincere and committed to delivering the promised reforms.

Makinde thanks Katsina stakeholders

Makinde thanked APM leaders, stakeholders and supporters from the North-West for attending the consultation.

He also acknowledged Katsina State Governor Malam Dikko Umar Radda, who, according to Makinde, was outside the country attending the United Nations General Assembly and therefore unavailable to receive him.

Makinde said the Katsina State Government nevertheless provided logistical support for the delegation’s movement within the state.

He expressed appreciation to the APM national chairman, vice-presidential candidate, party leaders and other stakeholders for their participation.

The Katsina town hall is part of the APM’s planned zonal consultations ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The campaign had earlier announced that the North-West session would take place in Katsina on September 22, with subsequent town halls planned for other geopolitical zones.

Makinde concluded by urging Nigerians to consider the APM’s “Reset Nigeria” agenda as the country approaches the 2027 general election.