By Levinus Nwabughiogu
ABUJA – Former governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo yesterday in Abuja called on Governor Ayo Fayose to halt the airport project, stressing that it was ill timed.

Adebayo stated that with the biting economic crunch, airport project was the least any governor would have fathomed.

Speaking at a reconciliatory meeting of Ekiti State stakeholders of All Progressives Congress, APC, convened by the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party, Engr. Segun Oni on Tuesday at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, the former governor regretted that Ekiti was not seen as a pariah state, apparently owing to the activities of the incumbent governor.

“I don’t think there is anybody in Nigeria who will say he is happy with what is happening in Ekiti state. Ekiti is being turned into a pariah state and it is unfortunate that this sort of thing is happening and that is why we who are in the opposition are putting our house in order and we believe that if we all stick together and make sure that the party is in stable state, we will be able to wrestle power back from the current governor (Ayodele Fayose) that is making mockery of our state.

“Frankly speaking, even without paucity of fund, even with the way things were before, it is a surprise that anybody or any reasonable person will say that the priority for Ekiti state is an airport. It is definitely not an airport. We have an airport in Akure which is 45 minutes drive from our state capital. So building an airport in Ekiti state honestly is not a well taught out project”, he said.

Adebayo further added that the stakeholders meeting was called to reconcile all warring parties in the state chapter of APC.

“As you are aware, we have been having some issues with some of our members. Some left the party to go and contest in the last election under different platforms and we have met today and we can say categorically that finally, all the issues that separated us at a time has been resolved and everybody is back in one big family now”, he said.

The meeting was attended by over 60 front-line APC stakeholders from Ekiti State including: Former Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; APC State Chairman, Chief Jide Awe; Sen. Ayo Arise; former member House of Representatives, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele; former member House of Representatives, Bimbo Daramola amongst others.