Ibadan Explosion: Why Makinde Must Return FG’s N30bn With Interest — Fayose

Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has urged Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to return the N30 billion intervention fund released by the Federal Government for the January 16, 2024, Bodija explosion in Ibadan because Makinde admitted not to have spent the money.

Fayose called it strange that Makinde did not inform Oyo State residents about the N30 billion received and the N20 billion balance until he revealed the N50 billion intervention fund.

In a statement on Thursday by his spokesperson Femi Philips, Fayose said since Makinde kept the N30 billion in a bank since 2024, the Oyo State Government should return the funds to the Federal Government for use by the people it was meant to help.

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He added that the Federal Government has ways to reach victims of the explosion since the governor has chosen to politicize their welfare.

Fayose also noted that the N30 billion kept in the bank for 18 months would have earned at least N4.5 billion in interest at 10 percent.

Therefore, he said Makinde must return no less than N34.5 billion to the Federal Government.

Fayose emphasized that public office requires transparency and accountability.

He said he made the intervention fund public to expose what he called the hypocrisy of the Oyo State Governor.

He added that if Makinde had not disclosed the fund on national television and concealed the fact that he requested N50 billion intervention from the president, there would be no need for the discussion.

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Fayose said it was wrong to only reveal parts of what happened in meetings and hide what should benefit the people.

He concluded by saying that as a Yoruba man, he will not allow anyone to damage the President’s image because of personal ambitions.