By Seyi Odewale
A sharp political dispute has broken out between Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose over claims that the Federal Government released ₦50 billion to Oyo State following the January 2024 Bodija kerosene explosion in Ibadan.
While Fayose insists that the full amount was given and not properly declared, Makinde’s camp has rejected the allegation, saying only ₦30 billion was released and fully applied to relief and reconstruction efforts.
*Oyo gov says he g’ot N30bn from FG as support for victims of kerosene explosion
Reacting to Fayose’s claims, the Special Adviser on Media to the Oyo State Governor, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, described the allegation as false and deliberately misleading.
He said the Federal Government did not disburse ₦50 billion to the Oyo State Government, adding that Fayose has failed to present any proof of such a transfer.
According to Olanrewaju, what followed the January 2024 explosion was a promise of federal support amounting to ₦50 billion, not an outright release.
He explained that Governor Makinde personally travelled to Abuja after the incident to brief President Bola Tinubu with a detailed report and to request assistance for victims and infrastructure recovery.
“A promise is not the same as a release,” Olanrewaju said. “Only ₦30 billion was eventually released. The balance of ₦20 billion was not accessed due to issues linked to demands for inducement, which the governor flatly rejected.”
He dismissed insinuations that Makinde deliberately remained silent to hide funds for political ambition, describing such claims as baseless. Olanrewaju also questioned the logic of expecting the governor to announce unresolved negotiations during a national tragedy publicly.
He said the ₦30 billion released was subjected to transparent oversight through a special committee set up to manage relief and reconstruction.
According to him, part of the funds was paid directly to victims as immediate support. At the same time, the remainder was deployed to rebuild damaged infrastructure, rehabilitate roads within the affected axis, and implement broader safety upgrades.
Olanrewaju clarified that the ₦4.5 billion figure often cited in public discourse refers strictly to direct cash support given to victims — landlords and tenants alike — representing about 15 per cent of the funds released.
*Ex-Ekiti gov: He’s lying. Tinubu gave him N50bn, but failed to declare it
Meanwhile, Fayose has maintained his position, accusing the Oyo State Government of withholding the truth. He insists that ₦50 billion was approved as federal intervention and claims only a fraction was paid to victims, alleging that the remaining funds were diverted.
The former Ekiti governor has challenged Makinde to provide full disclosure of all federal intervention funds received by the state, insisting that documents in his possession support his claims.
He has also dared the governor to seek legal redress if the allegations are false.
The dispute has taken on wider political undertones following Governor Makinde’s recent declaration that he would not support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027. Makinde’s media aide suggested that the renewed attack is politically motivated, describing it as part of a broader attempt to discredit one of the few remaining opposition governors.
As the exchange intensifies, calls are growing for clarity and independent verification of federal intervention funds released to Oyo State, amid rising public interest in transparency and accountability surrounding the handling of post-disaster relief.
