Today, the 1st of January, 2026, the Government of Oyo state, through the Hon. Commissioners for Budget and planning and that of Information released a third statement with respect to the whistle blown by the former Governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose.
Fayose had accused Governor Seyi Makinde of concealing the fact that he received the sum of 50 billion Naira from president Tinubu as intervention funding to support the Government of Oyo state and the victims of the Bodija explosion.
I have carefully gone through the 3 page statement and I have to say that I am terribly disappointed at Governor Seyi Makinde and those who appended their signatures to the extremely, further indicting document.
The contents of the statement is another sharp contrast to the statement issued by the Government of Oyo state through the Governor’s Chief Press secretary, Sulaimon Olanrewaju on Sunday.
In a press statement titled, ‘ Makinde: Truth is Not a Casualty of Political Desperation, Olanrewaju claimed and I quote, that, ‘ …. when it was time to act, only 30 billion was released. The partial release was accompanied by demands for inducements tied to the disbursement of the balance. Governor Makinde refused. As a result, the remaining 20 billion was withheld ‘.
That was the reason for the alleged withholding of the balance of 20 billion Naira as adduced by Governor Seyi Makinde through his Chief Press secretary last Sunday.
Interestingly, I am seeing something completely different from the statement of the Oyo state Commissioners for Budget and planning and that of Information as the reason why Governor Makinde is yet to receive the balance of 20 billion Naira from the Federal Government and I will also quote them.
On page 2, paragraph 2 of a copy of the draft of their statement, they held that, ‘ Oyo state Government had deliberately refrained from utilizing the 30 billion already released in recognition of the fact that the remaining 20 billion has remained withheld by the relevant Federal Agencies for reasons that have not been communicated to the state ‘!
What exactly is going on here?
I thought Governor Makinde and his attack dogs told us not to take Ayodele Fayose seriously?
Why are they this rattled that they couldn’t get themselves together?
What does the Oyo state Government want us to believe now?
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That they couldn’t get the balance of 20 billion Naira because some unnamed Federal Government officials are demanding for inducements or because the Federal Government is holding on to the balance for reasons they have not communicated to the Oyo state Government?
If the Government of Oyo state has chosen to release lies to the public, shouldn’t they be consistent with their lies?
Why do they keep contradicting themselves?
Also, on the same page 2, now paragraph 3 of the same statement, Oyo state Government claims that, ‘ .. given the disgraceful drama of the last couple of days from the Federal Government on the approval, the Government of Oyo state is convinced on the wisdom of its decision to ‘ wait and see’ before deciding what to do with the money ‘.
Honestly, these people are confused.
When Oyo state Government begin to talk about ‘ a disgraceful drama ‘, I think they need to explain to the public what they know that we do not know.
Which disgraceful drama are they talking about?
By their own admission, the Federal Government of Nigeria had approved the sum of 50 billion Naira since August of 2024.
Up till today, I am not aware and neither did they told us that the Federal Government has made any comments regarding the approval.
Exactly what is the sin of the Federal Government for the Oyo state Government to label it’s action as ‘ disgraceful ‘ with respect to an approval that has been granted since 2025?
Or, has the Oyo state Government been so confused that it fails to understand the fact that Fayose was not acting on behalf of the Federal Government and neither is he part of the Government?
I am also surprised that the Oyo state Government is having the time to talk about the Bodija explosion almost on a daily basis now.
Who would have known that a lot went down in the midst of that disaster?
It is equally surprising that Oyo state is now claiming to have spent 24.6 billion Naira of its resources on the explosion at Bodija as at January 1st, 2026 despite admitting that only 4.085 billion Naira was paid as compensation to the victims.
The most indicting part of the press statement is the admission by the Government that it got the sum of 30 billion Naira and kept same in a designated account for several months without disclosing to the people of Oyo state on whose behalf the money was received.
The excuses and explanations adduced by the Oyo state Government for keeping the sum of 30 billion Naira, public funds, in a designated account for months is not only flimsy, it is also laughable .
By the way, will the Government of Oyo state disclose the signatories to the said account and show us the statement of the account since the funds were lodged?
I am shocked to read that Oyo state Government is saying that to come clean about funds received as grants is an unusual practice in Government.
That is not true.
It is not a crime for Government to make disclosures about such funds.
Infact, it is the right thing to do. Public funds are meant to be accounted for.
Every day, Governor Makinde and his Government have been frantically trying to cover something up about this 30 billion Naira and some of us are becoming more interested in it.
Every right thinking resident of Oyo state must give kudos to former Governor Ayodele Fayose.
He has opened a can of worms in Oyo state and Governor Makinde has not been able to get his rhythm since Fayose exposed him.
Every attempts to bring the Federal Government into this issue is bound to fail.
I see that both Prince Dotun Oyelade and Professor Musibau Babatunde tried to paint the Federal Government black by misrepresenting the document published by Fayose.
They tried to present a case that looks like President Tinubu doesn’t care about Oyo state because he approved more funds for some unnamed South Western states despite the fact that Oyo state had a more devastating disaster.
Where is the evidence to support that claim?
First, Oyo state Government didn’t give the names of the affected states and neither did they tell us the incidents that took place at the States.
How would the public be able to ascertain the correctness or otherwise of their allegations?
Secondly, Governor Makinde must think that we are all gullible and foolish.
Their allegation in this regard also exposes them.
The document published by Fayose, though, it shows the figures approved generally, it only reflected the amount requested by Oyo state in the schedule.
The figures for the other states were not published.
So, the Oyo state Government have that document and they know it is genuine, yet, they claimed that Fayose published trash?
You claim a document is worthless and now, you’re quoting from the same document?
I will be waiting for Governor Makinde’s further damage control.
This one is worthless and self indicting.
Sola Abegunde.
