Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has challenged former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, to provide evidence to support claims that he received ₦50 billion from President Bola Tinubu following the January 2024 explosion in Ibadan.
Makinde made the demand through his Chief Press Secretary, Sulaimon Olarenwaju, after Fayose alleged during a television interview on Friday that the governor collected ₦50bn from the Presidency to manage the aftermath of the deadly blast. Fayose further claimed that the funds were not paid into the Oyo State Government’s accounts.
The January 2024 explosion in Ibadan claimed five lives, left at least 77 people injured, and destroyed about 55 houses. Following the incident, Makinde visited President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he submitted a report on the explosion and its impact on residents.
The allegation was later amplified by Fayose’s former aide, Lere Olayinka, who wrote on Facebook that although Makinde allegedly received ₦50bn, only ₦4.5bn was released to victims of the explosion.
“Ibadan Gomina General got ₦50bn from Tinubu’s government, only to release ₦4.5bn to victims of the Ibadan explosion of January 2024,” Olayinka claimed.
Reacting, Olarenwaju dismissed the accusations as false and unfounded, insisting that Fayose and his allies must substantiate their claims.
“There is no substance to the allegation. If Fayose has proof that the Federal Government gave ₦50bn to Governor Makinde, he should present it,” Olarenwaju said. “It is not enough to go on television to make baseless claims.”
He added, “If they have evidence, they should come forward with it. Otherwise, we should not waste time on such distractions.”
The Oyo State Government maintained that its response to the Ibadan explosion was transparent, stressing that all measures taken by the Makinde administration were aimed at assisting victims and rebuilding affected communities.
