Ibadan Explosion: Fayose Releases Documents, Claims Makinde Got ₦50bn from FG

Ibadan Explosion: Fayose Releases Documents, Claims Makinde Got ₦50bn from FG

Former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has released documents he described as documentary evidence to support his claim that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde received ₦50 billion from the Federal Government as a special intervention fund following the January 2024 Ibadan explosion.

Fayose made the documents public on Sunday through a statement accompanied by a memo purportedly issued by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation. He said the disclosure followed a public challenge by Governor Makinde, who had asked him to substantiate the allegation.

“Two days ago, I stated on national television that Oyo State, under Governor Seyi Makinde, received ₦50bn from the Federal Government as intervention for the Ibadan explosion. Yesterday, the governor asked me to provide evidence, and here is the evidence he requested,” Fayose said.

The former governor further alleged that only ₦4.5 billion of the funds was paid to victims of the explosion, accusing Makinde of diverting the balance to pursue personal political ambitions.

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“Only ₦4.5bn was paid to victims of the Ibadan explosion. The rest, alongside other intervention funds, was diverted to fund his presidential ambition. This, in part, explains the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his frequent attacks on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration,” Fayose alleged.

He said he was compelled to make the documents public in the interest of transparency and public accountability, despite his reluctance to disclose official government records.

“Even though it is not in my character to go public with official government documents, I had to do this so Nigerians will know who is saying the truth and who has not been sincere with the people of Oyo State,” he said.

Fayose also claimed that Makinde’s alleged disclosure of details from a private meeting with President Tinubu necessitated a fuller public disclosure of facts.

Challenging the governor to seek legal redress, Fayose insisted that his claims were backed by sufficient proof.

“I challenge Governor Seyi Makinde to sue me on this. There are also proofs of other intervention funds received from Tinubu’s administration by the Oyo State Government, which the governor refused to disclose to the people,” he said.

The former governor further claimed to have documents detailing Oyo State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which he said contradicted figures publicly presented by the governor, noting that he would release the information at a later date.

“There are documentary evidences on the actual IGR of Oyo State, as against Governor Makinde’s claim, but we will keep our gunpowder dry for now.

“My name is still Ayo Fayose. I don’t say what I can’t prove,” he said.

Ibadan Explosion: Fayose Releases Documents, Claims Makinde Got ₦50bn from FG