The Oyo State Government has firmly dismissed allegations by former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, that Governor Seyi Makinde received N50 billion intervention funds from the Federal Government over the Bodija explosion in 2024, and deliberately kept silent in order to bankroll a future presidential ambition.
The rebuttal was issued on Sunday by the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, who described Fayose’s claims as “misleading and deliberately disingenuous.”
Olanrewaju stated categorically that the Federal Government only disbursed N30 billion to the Oyo State Government as against the N50 billion being alleged, stressing that the absence of any proof of such payment explained why Fayose was unable to substantiate his allegation when challenged.
“Let us be clear from the outset,” Olanrewaju said. “The Federal Government did not give Governor Makinde N50 billion. What exists on record is a request and a promise, not a disbursement.”
He explained that the request for federal support followed the tragic January 2024 Bodija explosion, which claimed several lives, destroyed properties, and left an entire community traumatised.
According to him, while President Bola Tinubu did not visit Oyo State after the incident, Governor Makinde travelled to Abuja with a detailed report and a formal appeal for intervention.
“Following that engagement, the Federal Government promised a N50 billion support package. However, when it was time to act, only N30 billion was released,” Olanrewaju disclosed.
He further alleged that the release of the outstanding N20 billion was frustrated by demands for inducements tied to its disbursement, demands which Governor Makinde reportedly rejected.
“As a result, the balance was withheld. The question then is: was the governor expected to convene a press conference to publicly litigate negotiations around a national tragedy?” he asked.
Olanrewaju noted that Governor Makinde publicly acknowledged the Federal Government’s intervention during the inauguration of a transparent committee established to oversee the disbursement of relief funds. He said the committee ensured accountability and proper utilisation of the funds.
According to the media aide, part of the N30 billion released was paid directly to victims as immediate relief, while the remainder was deployed for reconstruction and restoration efforts within the affected area.
He listed road repairs, ongoing rebuilding of damaged structures, and plans for a memorial at the explosion site as evidence of the intervention.
He clarified that the N4.5 billion often referenced by critics represented direct financial support to victims, amounting to about 15 per cent of the total funds released. “This included landlords and even tenants, in line with Governor Makinde’s empathetic approach to governance,” he said.
Olanrewaju argued that the renewed controversy was politically motivated, linking it to Governor Makinde’s recent declaration that he would not support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
He said the governor had openly expressed regret over backing Tinubu in the 2023 election and cited concerns about an emerging one-party state.
He also referenced recent political tensions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including moves allegedly aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to constitute a caretaker committee in Oyo State, an action he described as provocative and lacking legitimacy.
“These actions are driven by desperation, not principle,” Olanrewaju said, insisting that attempts to portray Makinde as dishonest or disloyal were bound to fail.
He maintained that Governor Makinde’s political strength was rooted in performance, credibility and popular mandate, warning that misinformation and half-truths posed a broader threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
“Truth does not need protection,” Olanrewaju concluded. “It only needs to be told, fully, clearly, and without fear.”
