Makinde: Late Ajimobi’s Appointees Will Face Probe If…

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said government officials who served under the administration of his late predecessor, Abiola Ajimobi, would be made to “account for their stewardship” if the need should arise.

Makinde, while inaugurating the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA) on Tuesday, also promised to waive his constitutional immunity by presenting himself for interrogation should any case of corruption be brought against him before the state’s anti-corruption agency.

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The governor said this in Ibadan on Tuesday while inaugurating the OYACA led by its Chairman, Justice Eni Esan (retd).

He advised the anti-graft agency to not allow itself be used to witch-hunt anyone.

Makinde also said the anti-corruption was free to invite members of his cabinet, party members as well as members of the opposition parties should they be found wanting.

He said, “Some people may use my name to say His Excellency said we should do this or that. Please, I don’t have any agent or ask anyone to act on my behalf. So, report me to the agency. I promise I will come and defend myself for any report that comes to you regarding me, so also the rest of the cabinet.

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“Let me also say this, it has nothing to do with politics. It is not PDP or APC and you are not to be used to witch-hunt anybody. Corruption does not know PDP or APC.

“So, let our people on the other side know that we will ask them to account for their stewardship if there is a need for that. If they go to town to say they are being witch-hunted, they will prove their innocence in the law court but not in front of you.”

The governor said he was aware that there was corruption in the state when he was campaigning for election.

He categorized corruption into routine and systemic, noting that systemic corruption was killing the country but vowed that Oyo State would become a leading example in doing what was right very soon.

“With the inauguration of the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency, OYACA, we are sending out a clear message here in Oyo State. We have zero tolerance for corruption. So, any person, elected, employed or engaged in any capacity in the public or civil service in Oyo State, who accepts or promises to accept money, fees, donations, loans, gifts, or any other reward for rendering a service to members of the public will be investigated and be made to face the full wrath of the law.

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“It will no longer be business as usual. Public/civil servants are called to serve, not to steal. And I trust that the members of OYACA will do all within their powers to ensure that all matters brought to their attention are judiciously handled. There are to be no sacred cows. Anyone who runs afoul of this law will be prosecuted swiftly,” he added.

The chairman of the agency, who is a former president of the state customary court of appeal, assured the governor that the agency would do its best to fulfil its mandate and assist the state government in sanitising the public service.

Other members of the anti-corruption agency are: Temitope Ayorinde; Oyebade Oyedapo; AS Asaolu; Esther Olapade; Ihindero Lawrence and Ibrahim Tijani, who will act as the secretary of the agency.

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