Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has debunked the allegation made by the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, that he collected N50 billion from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Bodija explosion intervention, specifically for the reconstruction of Old Bodija and its environs, stating that he actually collected only N30 billion.
The governor, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Chief Press Secretary, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, described Fayose’s claim of collecting N50 billion from the president in 2024, which he has saved to execute his presidential ambition, as totally misleading and a calculated effort to smear his personality.
He said the federal government document Fayose leaked out revealed a record of the N50billion requested for, out of which the president approved N30billion, due to paucity of funds as claimed by the president.
According to a piece released by the government, President Tinubu visited the state to examine the extent of the damage the expulsion caused, after which Governor Makinde presented a comprehensive report of the incident, following his formal request for support, which prompted the president to promise N50 billion.
The piece claimed that the federal government eventually released N30billion, withholding the balance of N20bilion.
Giving the breakdown of how the money was spent, the governor claimed that some money was transferred directly to victims as immediate support, while the remaining was deployed for rebuilding and restoration, adding that roads within the affected axis were repaired, and reconstruction is ongoing, as well as a planned memorial at ground zero to honour the lost lives.
The piece stated, “It is important to underline this point. 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.
