Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose
Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has released what he described as documentary evidence to back his claim that the Oyo State Government received N50 billion from the Federal Government as intervention funds following the January 2024 Ibadan explosion.
Fayose said he was compelled to make the documents public after Governor Seyi Makinde challenged him to provide proof of the alleged payment.
According to him, he had earlier disclosed the claim during an appearance on a national television programme.
“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 stated.
He explained that Makinde’s response prompted him to release the evidence.
“Yesterday, the Governor responded by asking me to provide evidence that he received such money, and here is the evidence he asked for,” he said.
Fayose further alleged that only a fraction of the funds was paid to victims of the explosion.
“Meanwhile, only N4.5bn was released to victims of the Ibadan Explosion. Rather, he diverted this fund and many others to his Presidential ambition, which is the reason for the crisis in the PDP and his attacks on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his government,” he claimed.
The former governor said making official documents public was not his usual practice but insisted the circumstances left him with no choice.
“Even though it is not in my character to go public with official government documents, I had to do this so that Nigerians will know who is saying the truth, and who has not been sincere with the people of Oyo State,” Fayose said.
He added that Makinde’s public comments about private meetings with President Tinubu justified fuller disclosure.
“Most importantly, if as a governor, you have elected to go on national television to disclose part of what transpired in private meetings you had with the President, it becomes the duty of well-meaning Nigerians to give full disclosure,” he noted.
Fayose also threw a legal challenge at the Oyo State governor.
“Lastly, I challenge Governor Seyi Makinde to sue me on this,” he said, adding that there were more documents yet to be released.
“Let me also tell him that there are proofs of other intervention funds received from Tinubu’s administration by the Oyo State Government, which the governor refused to disclose to the people.”
He further claimed to have records relating to the state’s finances.
“Also, there are documentary evidences on the actual Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Oyo State, as against Governor Makinde’s claim, but we will keep our gunpowder dry for now,” Fayose said.
Concluding his statement, Fayose insisted he stood by his allegations. “My name is still Ayo Fayose, I don’t say what I can’t prove.”
