Ahmed Dankabo, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council in the 2023 elections, says criticisms of the N712 billion airport terminal modernisation contract are “politically charged and deeply unfortunate”.
On August 1, Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, said the Lagos airport rehabilitation would cost N712.25 billion.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, Dankabo defended the federal government’s decision to award the contract for the upgrade of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
He said President Bola Tinubu deserves commendation for taking a “bold and visionary” step to reposition Lagos as Africa’s premier aviation hub.
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“The Murtala Muhammed International Airport is the pride of Nigeria,” the statement reads.
“It is long overdue for an upgrade to match the standards of premier African airports like Cape Town International in South Africa, Mohammed V International in Casablanca, and Addis Ababa Bole in Ethiopia.”
Dankabo berated the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for what he described as “poisonous and ill-informed attacks” on Tinubu over the project.
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“It is amusing, frankly, that instead of applauding the foresight behind this transformative project, the ADC chooses to throw poisonous darts at a project that holds immense promise for Nigeria’s global image and competitiveness,” he said.
The APC chieftain said MMIA, which handles over six million passengers annually and 246 international flight movements daily, is too important to be politicised.
“This airport is more than infrastructure; it’s a national monument. It reflects who we are to the world. A first-class facility here sends a message about Nigeria’s aspirations and capabilities,” he said.
He also lauded the selection of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) for the project, noting that the firm had previously delivered Terminal 2 of the airport.
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“It is quite exhilarating to see that the same firm that built the iconic Terminal Two has been entrusted with further phases. It speaks to performance, not politics,” he added.
According to him, MMIA generates about 60 percent of the total revenue earned by all airports in Nigeria and is the backbone of the country’s aviation sector.
Dankabo urged critics to set aside partisan sentiments and support the Tinubu administration’s infrastructure development efforts under the renewed hope agenda.
On Sunday, the ADC faulted the federal government’s plan to spend N712 billion on the renovation of the airport.
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Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC’s interim national publicity secretary, described the expenditure as “reckless and insensitive”.
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