Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has urged the former public office holders, who served during the All Progressive Congress (APC) led administration of Senator Abiola Ajimobi to return the money and other property stolen or be prepared to face the wrath of the law.
Government Makinde, who claimed to have zero tolerance for corruption noted that the ex-public servants who had been contacted should urgently return stolen funds and property or be ready for prosecution by anti-corruption agencies.
The governor stated this when the Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanoye paid him a visit in his office.
He said, “We have been talking to the people involved. If they return those resources, then, we probably won’t need to come to ICPC, because the whole idea is for you to help us recover the stolen state’s resources. If they refuse to cooperate, then we will come to ICPC for assistance.”
Reinstating his commitment to transparency and accountability, he vowed to declare his assets after the expiration of his first term in office adding, “We have taken corruption as a cankerworm that we know can destroy all of us if not checked. Most importantly, for the leaders, you have very few of us that decided to hold ourselves accountable. That is why upon resumption of office, I publicly declared my assets. At the end of my tenure of office, I will also come out to declare my assets publicly. I strongly believe that”.
According to the governor, the open declaration of his assets, which was beyond the requirement of the 1999 Constitution, as amended; presentation and signing into law of the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Bill, and the inclusive budgeting approach employed by the government towards the preparation of the 2020 budget, among other efforts, showed that the state would not condone corruption.
“We cannot really go far in achieving our objectives if we allow corruption to maintain its hold on the system. That is why we are not mincing words on this issue and that is the reason I have offered to wave my own immunity if there is any reason to call me to question,” Makinde said.
Speaking earlier, the ICPC boss promised that his agency would partner Oyo State Government to fight and prevent corruption in the state, seeking for permission to nurture the state’s anti-corruption commission.
He said that the agency would wish to work with Oyo State Government, particularly in the area of systems review.
