JUST IN: OYO GOVT RECEIVED N30BN, NOT N50BN FROM FG OVER IBADAN EXPLOSION — MAKINDE’S AIDE
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By: Sefiu Ajape
The Oyo State Government has clarified that it received ₦30 billion, not ₦50 billion from the Federal Government as intervention funds following the January 2024 Bodija explosion in Ibadan, countering claims by former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose.
The clarification was made by the Special Adviser on Media and Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, in an article titled “Makinde: Truth Is Not a Casualty of Political Desperation.”
Olanrewaju described Fayose’s allegation that Governor Makinde received ₦50 billion and diverted the funds to support a presidential ambition as misleading and deliberately disingenuous.
“The Federal Government did not give Governor Makinde ₦50 billion. This is why Fayose was unable to provide evidence to show the disbursement when asked to do so. In fact, the memo he shared shows what was not disbursed,” he said.
He stressed that what existed was only a request and a promise, not a full release of the claimed amount.
“What exists on record is a request and a promise, not a disbursement of ₦50 billion,” Olanrewaju stated.
According to him, in the aftermath of the tragic January 2024 Bodija explosion — which claimed lives, destroyed homes and displaced residents — Governor Makinde personally travelled to Abuja with a comprehensive report of the incident and formally requested Federal Government support.
He said President Bola Tinubu did not visit Oyo State but promised a ₦50 billion intervention package after meeting with the governor.
“A promise, however, is not a release,” Olanrewaju noted.
He disclosed that only ₦30 billion was eventually released, while the remaining ₦20 billion was withheld.
“When it was time to act, only ₦30 billion was released. For reasons beyond the remit of this piece, the remaining ₦20 billion was withheld,” he said.
Olanrewaju questioned expectations that the governor should have publicly announced the breakdown of negotiations surrounding a national tragedy.
“Was the Governor expected to convene a press conference to announce that the Federal Government had promised ₦50 billion, released ₦30 billion, and was withholding ₦20 billion? Or to publicly litigate negotiations around a national tragedy?” he asked.
He maintained that the focus should be on how the released funds were utilised, noting that Governor Makinde acknowledged Federal Government support during the inauguration of a transparent committee set up to oversee the disbursement of relief funds.
He explained that part of the ₦30 billion was paid directly to victims as immediate support, while the rest was deployed for rebuilding and restoration efforts in the affected areas.
“The ₦4.5 billion often quoted as announced by the Oyo State Government refers to direct support to victims. This represents 15 percent of the total sum released,” he said, adding that roads had been repaired, reconstruction was ongoing and a memorial was planned at the explosion site.
The clarification follows claims by Fayose earlier on Sunday that Governor Makinde received ₦50 billion from the Federal Government after the Ibadan explosion but released only ₦4.5 billion to victims.
Fayose had released a document titled “RE: Requests for Special Intervention Funds,” which listed Oyo State as requesting ₦50 billion for the reconstruction of Old Bodija and its environs, insisting the funds were diverted for political purposes.
He challenged Makinde to sue him, alleging further that other intervention funds received by the state were being concealed.
The Oyo State Government had earlier dismissed Fayose’s claims as baseless, with officials insisting that the state handled the explosion response transparently and in the best interest of victims.
Olanrewaju linked the renewed allegations to recent political tensions, noting that Governor Makinde had publicly stated he would not support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
“These actions are not driven by principle. They are driven by desperation,” he said.
He added that Governor Makinde’s mandate was rooted in performance and public trust, not political theatrics.
“Half-truths and outright falsehoods may offer temporary comfort to those who trade in political mischief, but they always collapse under the weight of facts,” Olanrewaju said.
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