By Seyifunmi Odunuga
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former gubernatorial aspirant, Engineer Oyedele Hakeem Alao (Allow Alao), has questioned the decision of Governor Seyi Makinde to spend ₦41 billion on upgrading of Ibadan Airport.
Alao in a statement he personally signed wondered why a governor who is already aware that the federal government has made provision in the 2024 budget to cater for all airport facilities in the country could hurriedly write President Bola Tinubu that Oyo State is buoyant enough to repair and upgrade Ibadan Airport.
He said, “Under normal situation, there is nothing bad if a state decided to repair Federal Government facilities; but what we are seeing in Oyo State is in sharp contrast to logic and common sense. 
“The Federal Government has made provision of N23.1 billion in the 2024 budget for “rehabilitation and repairs” of airport facilities across the country, in which Ibadan airport is among. Why can’t our Governor wait for the Federal Government to carry out its constitutional responsibility?”
Alao wondered why a state that is in the third position in the list of 10 most indebted states in Nigeria could present itself buoyant to take over the responsibility of the Federal Government.
“Our dear Oyo State is indebted. As a matter of fact, Oyo recently moved from its fourth position in March 2024 to the third position on the list of ten most indebted states in April 2024.
“What is majorly responsible for our economic woes in Oyo State is among other things ‘misplaced priorities’ occasioned by irresponsible and wasteful leadership.
“For the records Oyo’s all-item inflation rate increased from 37.30 per cent in March 2024 to 38.37 per cent in April 2024, indicating a growing economic strain.
“The food inflation rate also rose, from 41.83 per cent in March to 43.53 per cent in April. This is what is responsible for rising food costs on the overall inflation scenario in our dear state.
“A governor that knows and understands what leadership is will not use N41bn to repair or upgrade an airport that is already among the airport facilities that federal government had budgeted for if not for pecuniary motives.
“This reminds one of the saying of Abraham Lincoln, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.
“We are all living witnesses to what has become of N5bn remodelled Adamasingba Stadium today. After three years, the government that promised that the renovation of the Stadium would increase the IGR of Oyo State is yet to say anything regarding that.
“What we recently heard is that the football pitch of the Stadium we used N5bn taxpayers money to repair is not even fit to host any major football match. Yet our Governor is embarking on another ‘white elephant project ‘.
“If Makinde’s understanding of how to salvage an already indebted state is little; we should educate our Governor that N41bn earmarked for Ibadan Airport repairs if expended to support agriculture and others will go a long way in alleviating the suffering of our people”, he said.
