The Oyo governor and APM presidential candidate says the Ibadan Airport project was launched at an initial cost of ₦41 billion and is being financed by the state government.

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

Makinde described the claim as false, insisting that the Oyo State Government is solely responsible for financing the airport upgrade.

The governor spoke at an APM town hall meeting in Katsina, where he addressed the controversy surrounding the funding of the project.

Wike had claimed during an interview with TVC that President Tinubu provided ₦50 billion to support Makinde's plan to upgrade Ibadan Airport to international standards.

Makinde, however, disputed the claim, saying the project was initiated in 2024 at an estimated initial cost of ₦41 billion and was being funded by the Oyo State Government.

The governor's response has added a new dimension to the political differences between him and Wike, who were members of the former G5 group of governors that opposed the Peoples Democratic Party's presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, during the 2023 election.

Makinde has since moved into the presidential race as the APM candidate for the 2027 election, while Wike has publicly expressed support for President Tinubu's bid for a second term.

The disagreement over the airport funding comes as political alignments continue to take shape ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The upgrade of Ibadan Airport is part of the Oyo State Government's efforts to improve aviation infrastructure and strengthen connectivity for the state and the wider South-West region.

Makinde's rejection of Wike's claim means the two politicians now have conflicting accounts of the source of funding for the project, with the governor maintaining that the state government bears the financial responsibility.

The controversy is likely to attract further attention as both politicians remain involved in opposing political camps ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.