PDP Leader Praises Governor Abiodun for Ogun Airport Initiative

A prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State and Convener of The Alternative Movement, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for prioritising infrastructure projects like the Gateway International Airport, describing it as a major step toward boosting the state’s economic growth.

In a statement issued on Friday, Showunmi said the commencement of commercial flight operations at the newly completed international airport along the Ilisan–Iperu Remo Road marked a new phase of development for Ogun State.

Speaking after his maiden flight from Abuja to the state-owned facility, the PDP leader praised Abiodun’s commitment to completing the project while acknowledging former Governor Gbenga Daniel, under whose administration the airport concept was first introduced in 2005.

He noted that the airport had positioned Ogun as a true hub of economic opportunity, adding that “anyone who fails to invest in Ogun is missing out.”

Reflecting on the long journey of the project, Showunmi said, “I had the privilege of knowing when this idea was conceived during Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s tenure, and now, years later, it has become a reality. Sometimes, when an opportunity is delayed, it isn’t lost — what comes later is often better. The Gateway International Airport proves that.”

He lauded Governor Abiodun for his vision and emphasis on infrastructure, saying it forms the foundation for sustainable growth. “Anyone who wants to transform an environment must first ensure that the right infrastructure is in place, and that’s exactly what this administration has done,” he said.

Showunmi congratulated Abiodun on behalf of Ogun citizens at home and abroad for ensuring that “in our lifetime, a commercial aircraft landed in Iperu–Ilishan, Ogun State.”

Governor Abiodun had earlier flagged off the airport’s first commercial flight — a ValueJet aircraft carrying 90 passengers to Abuja. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to developing a world-class transport system, adding that the airport is part of a broader vision to strengthen Ogun’s industrial and economic position.