A socio-political organisation in Ogun State, the Gateway Tower, has described as unfortunate, the statement credited to the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Ogun State, Barrister Biyi Otegbeye, condemning the Agro-Allied Cargo Airport, built by the Governor Dapo Abiodun administration to lift the agricultural fortunes and economic profile of the state.
In a statement issued by its coordinator, Jacob Adigun,and made available to the media, the group wondered how a governorship candidate, who is meant to be taken seriously would claim that Governor Abiodun abandoned the Wasimi Agro Cargo Airport initiated by the Ibikunle Amosun administration in order to prevent the Egba division from attaining the full status of state capital.
Accusing the ADC governorship candidate of spinning deliberate falsehood, despite being aware that unlike the proposed Wasinmi airport, on which humongous sums were expended with no work done at all and without necessary approvals by the regulatory authorities, the agro-allied airport, initially conceived by the Gbenga Daniel administration in 2007 had all necessary approvals, including the Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, from the aviation regulatory body, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.
Insisting that only a hater of good things would thumb down an airport already designated by the Federal Government as the export terminal for non-oil exports in the country, the group said, “Falsely tagging the inaugural flight on the airport an inauguration exercise, Otegbeye, placing politics over patriotism, dismissed a project meant to turn around the economic fortunes of the very people he wants to govern, thus casting himself in the mould of an enemy of the people
“By condemning the project, he openly cast aspersions on the integrity of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who only last week said that Ogun State had taken a huge step in fulfilling the dreams of the forebears to have a vibrant, modern and industrious community with the cargo airport as an engine room of the nation’s economy, commerce and business; and that of the honourable Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who noted that the airport is meant to improve the socio-economic development of the people of Ogun.
“Otegbeye, presenting himself as an oracle with supernatural knowledge, cast aspersions on the senator-elect for Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel, who conceived the project and on President Muhammadu Buhari, who promised to personally commission the project once completed.
“It is clear that a candidate playing ping-pong with the destiny of Ogun people should not be given access to power, as he is clearly bereft of ideas.
“Just how can a governorship candidate, because of mere lust for power, condemn the creation of a heteropolis, complete airport city, fitted with a special agro-processing zone, with factories where raw materials could be turned into final products for export, and complemented with the first international testing centre, where goods would be evaluated for export?
“Is Otegbeye saying that he is unaware that the AFROEXIM Bank has begun the construction of the first African International Testing Centre here in Sagamu; a centre where items for export would be evaluated and approved for export via the cargo airport?
“Is he unaware of the fact that the location is already booming with activities, as the Nigeria Customs Service and private agencies have already booked their individual space in the place? Is he unaware of the fact that the Kajola Dry Port will become operational in a few months time?”
The statement urged the Ogun State electorate to reject Otegbeye at the governorship polls on Saturday and re-elect Governor Abiodun in order to keep enjoying life-changing projects in the state.
