Former Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki has said his administration planned to make the state an aviation hub following deep and methodic thoughts.

Saraki is the senator representing Kwara Central at the National Assembly.

He said: "The vision to make the state an aviation hub was not an overnight thing but a product of deep thinking on how to move the state out of a docile public sector-driven state to a private sector-driven state."

Saraki explained that his eight years administration made a deliberate effort to make the state a one-stop aviation destination in Nigeria.

In a statement by his media aide, Akintoba Fatigun, the senator said: "It was when I was bouncing ideas around on the state's potentials that the vision came up, that Kwara can be an alternate international cargo airport to Lagos and serve the North.

"That's why immediately I assumed office, I awarded the contract for the remodeling, upgrading and rehabilitation of the Ilorin International Airport after I got the permission to do so from the Federal Government."

Besides renovating the airport, Saraki also attracted three airlines - Arik, Capital and Overland - to operate from the airport and open it to the world, the statement said.

It said the former administration "also established the cargo terminal to serve as the first destination of goods going to the North and also enhance the exportation of farm produce from Shonga Farm to the outside world.