- Safiu Kehinde
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has debunked claim of receiving N50 billion from the Federal Government following the January 2024 Bodija explosion in Ibadan.
NPO Reported that Makinde had on Sunday come under public spotlight following the allegation made against him by former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose.
The ex-Ekiti governor had during a television interview alleged that Makinde received N50bn from President Bola Tinubu after the explosion.
While the Oyo governor had challenged Fayose to provide evidence, the ex-Ekiti governor, through his former aide Lere Olayinka, posted documents on X, insisting they proved the N50bn intervention.
Reacting to the development, Makinde’s Chief Press Secretary, Suleiman Olanrewaju, clarified that the Oyo government only received N30 billion, not N50 billion, from the Federal Government.
Olanrewaju made this known in an opinion article published o Oyo Affairs.
The governor’s aide disclosed that the FG had promised to give the state government N50 billion, but only N30 billion was released.
He refuted claim that his principal had withheld the fund to sponsor his Presidential ambition.
“Recent comments attributed to former Governor Ayodele Fayose, alleging that the Federal Government handed N50 billion to Seyi Makinde and that the governor stayed silent to save it for his presidential ambition, are not only misleading, they are deliberately disingenuous.
“The Federal Government did not give Governor Makinde N50 billion. This is why Fayose was unable to provide evidence. In fact, the memo he shared shows what was not disbursed,
“Although the Federal Government promised N50 billion, only N30 billion was released. The remaining ₦20 billion was withheld after Makinde refused demands for inducements.
“When it was time to act, only N30 billion was released. This partial release came with demands for inducements tied to the remaining balance. Governor Makinde refused. As a result, the remaining ₦20 billion was withheld,” he said.
Olanrewaju further recounted that after the Bodija explosion, Tinubu did not visit Oyo State.
Rather, Makinde personally travelled to Abuja with a comprehensive report and a formal request for support.
He disclosed that a transparent committee oversaw disbursement, ensuring accountability and proper use.
“Of the N30 billion released, some money went directly to victims as immediate support, while the remainder was used for rebuilding and restoration,” Olanrewaju said.