President Bola Tinubu on Friday inaugurated the new international terminal building at Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on the first day of a two-day working visit to the South-South. The President is expected in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Saturday for an All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally.
The Uyo trip combined official engagements with politics: after commissioning projects delivered by Governor Umo Eno’s administration, the President attended an APC rally in the state capital, according to reports by the Voice of Nigeria (VON), New Telegraph and Legit.ng.
New Terminal and International Flights
The new terminal at Victor Attah International Airport is the centrepiece of Akwa Ibom’s push to become an aviation hub. VON reported that its inauguration marks the start of international flight operations at the airport, which was formally designated an international airport by the Federal Government last year.
Speaking at the event, Tinubu said he approved the state’s request for international flight operations quickly once it reached his desk. “I read the memo, I gave my consent,” he said, according to New Telegraph. He praised Governor Eno for his commitment and vision in completing the project.
The President also described the visit as personal. “This is a homecoming for me,” he said, as reported by VON, recalling his years working in the state with Mobil before entering politics. He added that he never imagined he would one day return as President to commission an airport named after Victor Attah, who served as Akwa Ibom governor at the same time Tinubu was governor of Lagos State.
Other Projects on the List
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the projects lined up for the Akwa Ibom leg included an International Airport Hospital and the Ibom Aviation Village at the airport, the Airport–Okopedi Road in Nsit Atai and Okobo local government areas, and Ring Road 3, which links Idoro Road to Ikot Ekpene Road through Uyo and Ibiono Ibom.
The statement also mentioned the AKWA-GIS Office Complex, a Command and Control Centre and the ARISE Palm Resort among other projects. Governor Eno declared Friday a work-free day in the state to allow residents to welcome the President.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu were among the dignitaries at the events, according to VON and New Telegraph.
Campaign Mode in the South-South
The visit underlines the APC’s drive to strengthen its position in the oil-producing South-South, a region that has traditionally leaned towards the Peoples Democratic Party. Governor Eno, who was elected on the PDP platform in 2023, is now a key ally of the President in the region.
At the Uyo rally, Vice President Shettima took aim at Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi, accusing him of squandering his goodwill, Legit.ng reported, citing Daily Trust.
What Happens Next
On Saturday, the President moves to Port Harcourt for an APC rally, his third major campaign rally since he flagged off his re-election bid in Kaduna last month, according to the Presidency. Rivers State is a politically complex battleground, and the rally will be closely watched for signs of how the party’s alliances in the state are holding up ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The airport’s international operations will also be in focus in the coming months, as airlines and regulators work out routes and schedules for the upgraded facility.
Sources: Voice of Nigeria, New Telegraph, Premium Times, State House, Legit.ng/Daily Trust.
