Former Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Femi Bamisile, has described the multi-billion naira Airport project being undertaken by the administration of Governor Ayodele Fayose as not only a misplaced priority but a criminal act.
Bamisile, an All Progressives Congress chieftain and governorship aspirant, queried the rationale behind the building of a N17 billion airport in an economically-disadvantaged state like Ekiti, which he said is less than 30 minutes drive from Akure, the capital of Ondo State, where such opportunity abounds.
Bamisile said the mere fact that Fayose’s government inaugurated the project without following due process vividly depicted that it was programmed to fail.
“Has the government given out the project? Did Fayose follow the laid down rules? Where is the tender and where was it advertised? It is going to be done through direct labour? Is it in 2015 Budget? These are criminal acts , and breach of constitution that must be challenged”.
Bamisile, during a chat with newsmen in Ado Ekiti over the weekend, also refuted the allegation that he was planning to return to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, due to a meeting he allegedly held with Fayose recently.
But Ekiti State Commissioner for works, Kayode Oso, who supervised the clearing of 4,000 hectares airport site on Friday, said Fayose had set up a planning committee for the project a month ago, which he said consulted widely with relevant consultancy firms and professionals and also visited several airports in the country for assessment.
Oso, who stated that the Governor Fayose-led administration is desirous of implementing the airport project as quickly as possible said it was part of the developmental programmes of Fayose’s government to open Ekiti to the outside world.
Apparently responding to Oso’ statement, Bamisile said, “I view this Airport project as an attempt to loot our funds. Why can’t Fayose take N1.6 billion out of the N17 billion to be wasted on this project to construct Ado-Ikere-Iju road? Of what economic advantage has the airport in Akure has on Ondo State? It was even underutilized.
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