Residents of Ido-Osun, Osun State, protested on Tuesday against the state government’s plan to relocate the airport project from Ido-Osun to Governor Ademola Adeleke’s hometown, Ede.
The protest, led by the Ido-Osun Youth Forum, saw participants chanting anti-government songs along the Ido-Osun-Ede Road.
The protesters rejected the government’s claim that the current site was unsuitable due to encroachment by individuals who had erected structures on the project land.
Former Egbedore State Constituency representative Abiodun Awolola accused the governor of nepotism. “This attempt to relocate the Ido-Osun airport to Ede is insensitive and must be resisted,” he said. Awolola highlighted the airport’s historical significance, stating it had existed since 1936 before being abandoned.
He noted that successive administrations, including those of Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Governors Bisi Akande, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Rauf Aregbesola, and Gboyega Oyetola, had all committed to reviving the project. “Over ₦20 billion has already been spent on the Ido-Osun Airport. Abandoning it for a new project in the governor’s hometown would waste public funds and cast the current administration as nepotistic,” he added.
Awolola urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and prevail on Adeleke to abandon the relocation plans. He also called on the Ministers of Works and Aviation, David Umahi and Festus Keyamo, to boycott the proposed sod-turning ceremony at the new site.
Similarly, the Allied Peoples Movement condemned the relocation plan. In a statement signed by its chairman, Adewale Adebayo, the party described the move as politically motivated and wasteful. “Relocating such a critical project to the governor’s hometown reeks of favouritism and disregards the resources already committed to the Ido-Osun site,” Adebayo stated.
The government has not reacted yet to the protests.
Congratulatory Message
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Southwest praised Governor Adeleke for his commitment to the state’s development. In a statement, NANS Southwest Assistant General Secretary Kayode Adeyemo lauded Adeleke’s policies and achievements, noting his dedication to creating a better Osun State for all.
“Your administration’s impactful policies and achievements stand as a testament to your dedication to creating a better Osun State for all,” the statement read.
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