The Osun State chapter of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to review the contract for the proposed Ede International Airport project to ensure transparency and technical competence.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Head of the APM Governorship Media Directorate, Ezekiel Olusegun Oladapo, the party expressed concern over the award of the project to a company whose Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration lists interior decoration as its primary business.

Oladapo said awarding a project of that magnitude, now valued at over ₦130 billion, to a firm without proven experience in aviation infrastructure raises questions about due process and value for money. The initial contract sum was put at ₦99.5 billion.

He noted that the state is currently grappling with challenges in the health sector, a shortage of teachers and doctors, and other infrastructure needs.

The APM urged the Adeleke administration to consider the approach adopted in Oyo State, where Governor Seyi Makinde upgraded the existing Ibadan Airport by extending its runway from 2.4km to 3km instead of constructing a new facility.

“Makinde did not rush to build a new airport. He upgraded an existing one in Ibadan after significant infrastructure work had been carried out across the state, including road projects,” Oladapo said.

He also advised the government to reconsider the relocation of the airport from its original site at Ido-Osun to Ede. According to him, the Ido-Osun site was selected during the colonial era by the British because of its flat terrain and favourable aviation weather conditions, and it already has a fenced area with a 3.5km runway.

“How can such a historic airport with aviation advantages be relocated based on a change in plan? Previous administrations did not relocate it because such decisions require technical evaluation,” he added.

Oladapo said abandoning the Ido-Osun site could result in a waste of public resources.

The party, however, called on the state government to prioritise transparency, technical capacity, and cost-effectiveness in executing the project.