A stalwart of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Adekunle Esan, has advised Governor Kayode Fayemi to shelve the idea of building an airport for the state at this time.
In an open letter to the governor, Esan, who was one of the governorship aspirants at the last election, argued that an airport in the state is a white project, considering the proximity of Akure to Ado, the state capital. He added that the proposed project was in the narrow interest of a few elite which the state’s financial state could hardly support.
Instead of an airport, Esan, who is from Ilawe Ekiti, said a dual carriageway to join the two states would suffice.
“I am constrained by some elements to send you this short message in respect of building an airport in Ekiti by your administration. I decided to place it in the public domain because you didn’t acknowledge receipt of same in the private.
“Considering so many factors, building an airport in Ekiti, should not, at this material time, be on your priority list because it is at variance with jump -starting the state economy. Presently, the economy of the state is nose diving. The economy needs to be properly harnessed to respond to the immediate needs of the largest majority of the population as again the narrow interest of few elites.
“The Akure airport is so near to Ado-Ekiti. What needs to be done, is to build a very solid dual carriage road from Ado-Ekiti to Akure.
“This is my non-partisan advice as a stakeholder in Ekiti State project,” Esan wrote.