APC, PDP bicker over N50b Ibadan explosion relief fund utilisation

By : Rotimi Agboluaje

Date: 29 December 2025 5:05am WAT

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Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde

• Fayose releases documents, dares governor to sue • Group slams ex-gov for ‘misleading’ Nigerians

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, yesterday, challenged Governor Seyi Makinde to explain how he utilised the N50 billion Relief Fund he allegedly received from President Bola Tinubu in the wake of the devastating explosion which ravaged parts of Bodija GRA in the state capital in January 2024 or resign from office immediately.   Recall that a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, had revealed during a live programme on Friday that Governor Makinde got the money on behalf of the victims of the explosion when he visited the President to brief him on the incident but he (Makinde) reportedly failed to either acknowledge the receipt of the money or utilise it for the purpose of providing succour to those who lost their lives and properties to the incident.   In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC berated Makinde for his “disparaging remarks against President Tinubu and his Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, during a recent media chat in which the governor alleged that he turned down the request of the President to organise the opposition APC in the state even as he was quoted to have said that the Minister of Power lacked the capacity to deliver.”

But Fayose has shared documents proving receipt of the fund.   According to the ex-governor, the money was approved as emergency support after the deadly blast.

Makinde had earlier denied the accusation and challenged Fayose to provide proof.   In response, Fayose released the documents and claimed that only N4.5 billion from the funds was given to people affected by the explosion.   He alleged that the remaining money was used to support Makinde’s so-called plan to run for president.   In a statement, Fayose said he made the documents public so Nigerians could decide for themselves whether the Oyo State government has been truthful.   He also dared Makinde to take legal action against him, while insisting that there are records showing that other financial support sent to Oyo State by the Tinubu administration was never disclosed to the public.

However, a group within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, the Oyo PDP-Visionaries, has described Fayose as “a disgrace to public service for failing to understand the difference between a request and an approval.”

The group made the statement yesterday, following the former governor’s release of a letter showing the request of N50 billion by the Oyo State government for the reconstruction of the Dejo Oyelese/Adeyi Avenue area following an explosion.

The coordinator, Qudus Olayide, berated Fayose for trying to justify his false claim that Makinde got N50 billion from the Federal Government with a letter from the Ministry of Finance showing requests from states.

According to the group, while it was shameful that Fayose told a lie to the public to discredit Makinde, it was quite demeaning and disturbing that he tried to use bold face to make the lie stand by publishing a false record.

The group challenged Fayose to publish the letter showing the actual approval.

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