APC Asks Makinde To Account For Alleged N50bn Ibadan Explosion Fund

The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked Governor Seyi Makinde to account for an alleged N50bn Federal Government intervention fund reportedly received to address the aftermath of the January 2024 Ibadan explosion or resign from office.

The opposition party’s demand followed allegations by former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, who claimed that the President Bola Tinubu administration released the funds to the Oyo State Government after the deadly explosion that devastated parts of the Bodija Government Reserved Area in Ibadan.

The explosion, which occurred in January 2024, claimed five lives, injured 77 persons and destroyed about 55 houses in the state capital.

Fayose made the allegation during a live interview on TVC on Friday.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Oyo APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, said Fayose’s disclosure raised serious concerns that must be addressed by the governor.

“Now that his close friend and fellow party man has disclosed that a whopping N50 billion was actually paid into the coffers of the Oyo state government as a Relief Fund by the federal government, Gov. Makinde should realize that a flippant reaction by his media aide cannot be enough, as the whole world needs to know what he did with the money,” the APC stated.

The party also criticised Makinde over his recent remarks against Tinubu and the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu.

Meanwhile, Fayose, in a statement issued on Sunday, accused Makinde of diverting the alleged N50bn Federal Government intervention fund, claiming that only N4.5bn was reportedly released to victims of the explosion.

According to Fayose, the balance of the funds was allegedly diverted to other purposes, including what he described as Makinde’s presidential ambition.

He said he decided to release documents he claimed were official government records after Makinde challenged him to provide evidence of the alleged funds.

“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,” Fayose said, according to a statement shared on social media by his former aide, Lere Olayinka.

Fayose further alleged that Makinde’s political ambition was responsible for internal crises within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his frequent criticisms of Tinubu and the Federal Government.

He challenged the governor to take legal action against him if the claims were false, insisting that he had additional documentary evidence of other Federal Government intervention funds allegedly received by the Oyo State Government.

Reacting to the allegations earlier, Makinde’s Chief Press Secretary, Sulaimon Olarenwaju, had dismissed Fayose’s claims as baseless and challenged him to provide concrete evidence.

“There is no substance to the claim. If he (Fayose) has proof that the Federal Government gave N50bn, he should provide it. It is not just about going on air to say rubbish,” Olarenwaju said, according to the Punch.

“If he has evidence, he should come forward with it. I don’t think we should waste time on these guys,” he added.

Makinde had earlier visited Tinubu in January 2024 to submit a report on the explosion.