Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has denied a claim by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, that President Bola Tinubu gave the state N50 billion to upgrade the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan.
Makinde made the clarification on Tuesday during the North-West Town Hall Meeting in Katsina, where he described Wike’s claim as false.
According to the governor, the ongoing upgrade of the Ibadan airport is being fully funded by the Oyo State Government.
“President Tinubu did not give me or Oyo State N50 billion to upgrade the Ibadan Airport. The statement made yesterday by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to that effect is false,” Makinde said.
During the North West Town Hall meeting today in Katsina, I responded to the claim made by the Minister of the FCT, HE Nyesom Wike that the president gave Oyo State N50 billion to upgrade the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan. I stated that the claim is false. The Ibadan… pic.twitter.com/ihOCbL5YzK
— Seyi Makinde (@seyimakinde) September 22, 2026
His comments followed an earlier statement by Wike, who said President Tinubu had supported Makinde in expanding the Oyo airport into an international airport with N50 billion.
Wike also used the claim to reject suggestions that Makinde was the only member of the former G5 governors who had benefited from the Tinubu administration.
President Tinubu has supported the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, in expanding the Oyo airport to become an international airport with a whopping sum of 50 billion Naira. It’s not correct to say I’m the only G5 governor that benefits in President Tinubu’s government.
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— Senior Pst Okezie James Atañi. (@Onsogbu) September 21, 2026
“President Tinubu has supported the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, in expanding the Oyo airport to become an international airport with a whopping sum of N50 billion. It’s not correct to say I’m the only G5 governor that benefits in President Tinubu’s government,” Wike said.
Makinde, however, maintained that neither he nor the Oyo State Government received the N50 billion from the Federal Government for the airport project.
The conflicting claims come amid ongoing political discussions over the relationship between the Tinubu administration and members of the former G5 governors’ group.
