The All Progressives Congress has stated that Governor Rauf Aregbesola will not sell the helicopter purchased by his administration.

It said the helicopter was bought for surveillance purposes.

The Peoples Democratic Party in the state had called on the state governor to sell off the helicopter in other to pay civil servants in the state their salaries.

Reacting to the statement, Chairman of the APC in Osun State, Gboyega Famodun, while speaking at a press conference in Osogbo on Monday, described PDP comment as sheer ignorance.

He explained that the helicopter was bought together with Armoured Personnel Carriers to assist security agents in combating criminals, who he said held the state by the jugular and raided at will, which led to the closure of some businesses.

The APC added that the state and the Nigeria Air Force were collaborating to build the project, which he said would be of immense benefit to the state when completed.

Famodun said, “On the question of helicopter, the opposition recently gave an unsolicited advice to the state government, asking it to sell its surveillance helicopter. It was an uninformed call. You will all recall the spate of armed banditry in the state prior to our coming.

“The helicopter cost N500m and it was paid for in five instalments. With these measures in place, you now know the difference. However, the helicopter was practically disabled by the Federal Government itself.

“Before the surveillance machine was bought, the governor built a state-of-the-art Call Centre that was to operate with a special security code. The FG-controlled NCC refused till today to provide the special code for the helicopter to be linked with ground equipment for surveillance. Thus the surveillance helicopter was effectively disabled.

“The chopper was however put on lease and it is making money for the state and only recalled for use as the need arises. It is one of the sound financial decisions made by the government. We cannot but marvel at the ignorance and mischief of those calling for the sale of the helicopter and the quality of the thinking of those asking government to dispose of an instrument being used for the security of the citizens,” it added.