The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has denied receiving the sum of ₦50 billion from President Bola Tinubu without using the funds for the intended purpose.
Makinde made the denial in a statement on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, while responding to a claim by former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, that he got the sum of ₦50 billion from the federal government as support for victims of the 2024 Ibadan explosion.
Naijaonpoint recalls that Fayose had alleged that Makinde got the fund, and pocketed it without using it for the intended purposes. The former Governor also claimed he had evidence to back up his claims.
However, Makinde, while denying the allegations, also rubbished the said evidence. According to him, the allegation is false, misleading and politically motivated.
The Governor maintained that the ₦50 billion was not disbursed, but only exists as a promissory note. He challenged Fayose to publicly display any evidence against him if such exists.
“The Federal Government did not give Governor Makinde ₦50 billion. What exists on record is a request and a promise, not a disbursement.
“Even the memo being circulated only reflects what was proposed, not what was released,” the statement said.
The statement confirmed that Governor Makinde travelled to Abuja after the explosion with a detailed report to formally request federal intervention after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not visit the state.
However, it added that while the government initially promised ₦50 billion, only ₦30 billion was eventually released.
“A promise is not a release. When it came time to act, only ₦30 billion was released. The remaining ₦20 billion was withheld after alleged demands for inducements were linked to its disbursement, demands the governor refused,” Olanrewaju stated.
He also added that the released sum is being used judiciously for the intended purpose.
He explained that part of the ₦30 billion was paid directly to victims as immediate relief, while the remainder was deployed for reconstruction and restoration within the affected Bodija axis.
According to him, damaged roads have been repaired, rebuilding is ongoing, and plans are underway to construct a memorial at the explosion site in honour of those who lost their lives.
“What matters is what was done with the money that actually came,” the statement said.
The media aide said Governor Makinde publicly acknowledged the federal government’s support, adding that the ₦4.5 billion figure often cited publicly refers strictly to direct financial support paid to victims, including landlords and tenants.
“That amount represents about 15 per cent of the total funds released. The governor ensured direct support for victims while also funding broader government interventions. Anyone who visits the area can see the reconstruction work,” Olanrewaju said.
It Is A Political Fight
Governor Makinde, in the statement, also accused Fayose of making the allegations as a political weapon after his declaration not to support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
“That declaration marked a turning point. Almost immediately, political hostilities were activated,” the statement noted.
PDP And Wike
The statement also claimed that an attempt by a group allegedly aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to set up a purported Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caretaker committee in Oyo State would not stand.
Olanrewaju maintained that attempts to portray Governor Makinde as dishonest or disconnected from his party would fail, noting that he remains one of the few serving PDP governors whose mandate is rooted in performance and public trust.
According to him, Governor Makinde would never bow to attempts at political intimidation.
“Half-truths and outright falsehoods may offer temporary comfort to those who trade in political mischief, but they always collapse under the weight of facts.
“This is about whether fear, coercion and political intimidation will be allowed to undermine democratic values. Governor Makinde has made his position clear, he will not be complicit,” the statement concluded.