iDeemlawfulAgainst claims that N50 billion was received as intervention funds from the Federal Government following the January 2024 Bodija Explosion in Ibadan, the Oyo State Government has explained that the amount released was N30 billion.
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, issued the clarification in response to allegations by former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, who alleged that Makinde received N50 billion for victims of the incident.
iDeemlawful reports that Fayose, during a television appearance, asserted that President Bola Tinubu approved and released N50bn after the explosion.
Governor Makinde promptly rejected the allegation and challenged Fayose to present evidence of any N50 billion payment from the President.
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Reacting on Sunday, Fayose, through his former aide Lere Olayinka, wrote on X that the Federal Government released ₦50bn as intervention funds to Oyo State.
“Two days ago, I said on a national television that Oyo State under Governor Seyi Makinde got a sum of N50bn from the Federal Government as intervention on the January 2024 explosion in Ibadan.
“Yesterday, the Governor responded by asking me to provide evidence that he received such money, and here is the evidence he asked for,” Fayose said.
In response, Olanrewaju, in an opinion published on Oyo Affairs, described the claim as deceptive.
“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,” he said.
Olanrewaju stated that after the Bodija explosion, President Tinubu did not visit Oyo State, noting that Governor Makinde personally went to Abuja with a detailed report and a formal request for assistance.
“Although the Federal Government promised N50 billion, only N30 billion was released. The remaining ₦20 billion was withheld after Makinde refused demands for inducements,” Olanrewaju said.
He added that, “When it was time to act, only N30 billion was released,” stressing that, “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”.
The Chief Press Secretary disclosed that reconstruction efforts were ongoing, including road repairs, enhanced security measures, and plans for a memorial at the Bodija Explosion ground zero.
Olanrewaju explained that N4.5 billion, representing 15 per cent of the released funds, was paid directly to victims, while the balance was utilized for reconstruction and other support measures.
“The N4.5 billion often quoted refers to direct support to victims. This represents 15 per cent of the total sum released. Governor Makinde found a way of giving 15 per cent back to landlords and even tenants as direct support in his usual show of empathy,” he said.
He also rejected assertions that Makinde was dishonest or estranged from his party structure, describing such claims as “dead on arrival,” and emphasized that the governor remains one of the few serving Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, whose mandate is anchored on performance, integrity, and public confidence.
“Governor Makinde has made his position clear and would not be complicit. Truth does not need protection. It only needs to be told, fully, clearly, and without fear,” Olanrewaju said