PDP knocks Ogun gov over agro cargo’s first commercial flight claim

PDP knocks Ogun gov over agro cargo’s first commercial flight claim

The Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State has faulted the governor of the state, Dapo Abiodun, over the unveiling of an uncompleted agro cargo airport.

The PDP described the newly constructed agro-cargo airport in the Iperu area of the state as a deceitful and clueless project.

Abiodun had, on Thursday, unveiled the first commercial flight of the airport, describing it as world-class.

The project was unveiled by the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, and Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, recorded its first commercial flight the same day.

The party, in a statement issued on Friday, by the Publicity Secretary, Akinloye Bankole, argued that the project was a brainchild of the PDP administration during the administration of former governor Gbenga Daniel between 2003 and 2011.

Bankole said the project was licensed for a cargo, commercial and training airport by Daniel’s administration.

While faulting the unveiling, Bankole said that the project was done to play ‘politics’ of Abiodun’s re-election.

The statement read partly, “We should very quickly remind the good people of Ogun state that the Cargo Airport project was actually a brainchild of the PDP administration in Ogun State between 2003 and 2011.

“The project was licensed for Cargo/Commercial/Training Airport as obtained by the Otunba Gbenga Daniel, OGD’s administration.

“Ordinarily, it is good that Dapo Abiodun chose to continue with the project; amongst many highly beneficial major projects embarked upon by PDP while in the saddle.

“By design, the cargo airport project is supposed to create relief cargo flight and handling as optional for overseas bound goods from South East/South South to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

“For us in PDP, what Dapo Abiodun and his gang did yesterday was a shameless exhibition of gross cluelessness.

“The maiden flight was a “fly and land blind”. An extremely deadly sign- posted political ziggy.

“Therefore, it is clear that the governor is, again, just playing politics for his undeserved re-election.

“The macabre dance of shame at the airport construction site yesterday was one of his orchestrated antics to bamboozle the unsuspecting members of the public.”

Bankole claimed that the airport has turned out to be dangerous instead of being a relief for cargo flights for overseas bound goods from the South East/South South to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

It further noted that the only physical structure close to completion at the airport is the runway, which it said has not been fully certified by the Nigeria Cargo Airport Authority.

He said “It is laughable that the outgoing government of Dapo Abiodun can subject the expected international value and rating of such major project as a cargo airport to despicable experiment on maiden flight testing when there is no observation tower that would monitor and coordinate landing signal equipment, no terminal building and other technical requirements at the airport.

“As of today, February 24 2023, we have it on good authority that the only physical structure at the airport that is close to completion is the runway which has not been fully certified by Nigeria Cargo Airport Authority.”

Several attempts to get a reaction from the government failed as the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Kunle Somorin, had yet to respond to the text messages sent to his mobile phone.