Advocates devolution of mining powers to states

Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Alliance for Progressives Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has dismissed as untrue the reports that he got N50 billion from the President for the expansion of the Ibadan International Airport.

Makinde, who spoke while addressing supporters at the Makinde-Daura 2027 Presidential Town Hall meeting in Katsina, yesterday, said the Oyo State Government did not receive any N50 billion from the Federal Government, adding that the expansion of the Ladoke Akintola International Airport, Ibadan, was fully funded by the state government.

The clarification followed a statement reportedly made by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, during an appearance on the TVC Journalists’ Hangout programme on Monday, in which he claimed that President Bola Tinubu had “settled” Oyo State with N50 billion for the reconstruction of the airport.

Makinde said: “We are here at the Northwest Consultative Meeting. 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 the 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.”

Also, a statement by Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, yesterday, said that the Federal Government’s approval for the airport project was granted on the condition that it would be undertaken at no cost to the Federal Government.

Olanrewaju said the state government had fully financed the airport’s transformation in line with the Federal Government’s approval.

He therefore urged public officials to exercise restraint and responsibility when making public statements, particularly on matters concerning public expenditure and development projects.

Meanwhile, Makinde has proposed devolving mining powers to states as part of his agenda to reset Nigeria’s economic and political structures if elected president in 2027.

He said that the mining sector, currently under federal control, required a different governance structure to address illegal mining and improve the contribution of mineral resources to the national economy.

The Oyo State governor said his proposed “Reset Agenda” would also cover the economy, education, security and the wider socio-political system.

According to him, Nigeria could not rely solely on its natural resources to develop the economy, stressing the need for skills, knowledge and increased production.

Makinde, who said his administration would seek to create an economy capable of operating round the clock to compete with economies that maintain continuous production, also promised to reform the education system, including improving data on out-of-school children and developing measures to return them to classrooms, resetting the country’s security architecture, among others.

Earlier, APM National Chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, said the town hall meeting was organised to engage residents of the North-West on the party’s proposed political and policy direction ahead of the 2027 general elections.