Salihu Tanko Yakasai, former media aide to ex-APC chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of showing blatant favouritism towards Lagos State in the allocation of federal projects.
Yakasai, popularly known as Dawisu, made the allegation in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday while reacting to the federal government’s approval of ₦712.26 billion for the reconstruction of Terminal One at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
His words: “Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihirrajiun. Another ₦712 billion for Lagos airport? Unbelievable!
“This unprecedented favoritism in our nation’s history is staggering. How much more will be funnelled into Lagos alone, in addition to what it got in the last 2 years? Wawu!”
The terminal upgrade is part of a broader ₦900 billion aviation infrastructure overhaul recently approved by the federal executive council (FEC), chaired by Tinubu at the presidential villa in Abuja.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the terminal would be fully dismantled and rebuilt by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), with new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems to be installed.
But critics like Yakasai say the scale of Lagos’ share in the project is excessive, warning that the federal government risks alienating other regions with what they describe as “Lagos-centric governance.”
Also approved for Lagos is a ₦49.9 billion perimeter security project at the airport, which includes a 14.6km steel fence, CCTV surveillance, solar-powered floodlights, and an intrusion detection system monitored in real time.
Keyamo defended the investments, saying they are necessary to bring Nigerian airports up to international standards.
“Anyone or anything close to the fence will be detected immediately, and the location pinpointed,” he said of the security upgrades.