Residents of the Ido-Osun community in Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State took to the streets on Tuesday to protest against Governor Ademola Adeleke’s decision to relocate the ongoing M.K.O Abiola Airport project to his hometown, Ede.
The announcement of the new airport project to be inaugurated at Olodan area of Ede by the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo by the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, has sparked outrage among the Ido-Osun community members who believe this move is an act of favoritism and nepotism.
Led by the Eesa of Ido-Osun, Chief Oyewale Basiru, and former Osun Assembly lawmaker Abiodun Awolola, they called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and stop the Governor from relocating the airport.
Carrying placards with several inscriptions: ‘Is Adeleke governor of Ede or Osun State?’, ‘We say no to favouritism’, ‘Give us back our airport’, ‘Relocating the airport to your hometown is nepotistic’, and ‘This is not what you promised us’ among others protested at the Oludo’s palace.
Awolola who spoke on behalf of the community, berated the decision of Adeleke to relocate the ongoing airport project to which over N20bn had been expended on it by the previous administration.
He said “Removing the airport in the original location to Adeleke’s hometown will amount to nepotism and favouritism which oppose to the oath of democracy he took when he was sworn in as the governor.
“Adeleke made a promise to our late king to complete the project but the reverse is the case now. Unfortunately, Kolapo Alimi who served under the government of Rauf Aregbesola and now under Adeleke is the one stating reasons to relocate the airport despite knowing the level of work done and the billions of Naira that had been expended on it.
“The government decision is unacceptable and unjust, as it undermines the rights and interests of the people of Ido-Osun.
While blaming the Adeleke family for the encroachment on the airport land, with the building of Adeleke University on parts of the land, the community urged President Bola Tinubu to prevail on Governor Adeleke against relocating the airport to his hometown and ordered his ministers not to grace any foundation laying of the new project in Ede.
