Oyo State Government Denies N50 Billion Support Allegation, Challenges Fayose to Provide Proof

The Chief Press Secretary to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Sulaimon Olarenwaju, has issued a firm rebuttal to claims made by former Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, alleging that Governor Makinde received a sum of N50 billion in presidential support following the tragic January 2024 Ibadan explosion.

The denial came during a telephone interview on Saturday, with Olarenwaju categorically dismissing the allegations as baseless and challenging Fayose to produce concrete evidence to substantiate his claims.

“The onus of proof lies with the accuser,” stated Olarenwaju. “He who makes an allegation must provide evidence. Let him produce proof for what he claims. It is important to note that Fayose lacks credibility; even his family has denounced him. What credibility does he have? Such a person speaks ordinarily, and we should not pay attention. But if he has made a claim, let him substantiate it.”

The controversy stems from comments made by Fayose during an appearance on TVC on Friday. The former governor alleged that Governor Makinde had failed to disclose a N50 billion financial support package from President Bola Tinubu, linked to his visit to the Presidential Villa on January 22, 2024. During that visit, Makinde had presented an official report on the Adeyi Avenue explosion, which resulted in five fatalities, 77 injuries, and significant damage to approximately 55 buildings.

Fayose asserted, “You did not tell Nigerians you got, at the prerogative, at the mercy of Mr President, you got N50 billion in support of the explosion in Ibadan. He never said that to Nigeria… The N50 billion did not come into the coffers of Oyo State. It came with you coming to interface with the president because you came and said you met with the president.”

He further criticized Makinde for publicly disclosing aspects of his private conversation with the President, notably the Governor’s statement that he declined a request to help organize the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, while allegedly omitting other details.

When pressed on whether any form of donation was made to the state following the disaster, Olarenwaju was unequivocal in his response. “There is no substance whatsoever. Did the President say anything of the sort? Did the federal government make such a statement? If neither the President nor the federal government said so, who is Fayose to claim it? There was no fifty-billion-naira donation,” he declared.

This exchange occurs against a backdrop of heightened political tensions and ongoing internal strife within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Fayose, a vocal member of the faction loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, used the platform to reiterate his allegiance. “I’m a Wike person. Anywhere Wike is, that is where I am. I will never join the APC,” he stated.

Governor Makinde, conversely, is aligned with the Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the party. The public disagreement underscores the deep-seated divisions within the PDP, often playing out through media exchanges between key figures.

Fayose also referenced a past private conversation with Makinde, accusing the Governor of hypocrisy. He recalled an instance where Makinde had contacted him to request that a discussion about not contesting against the President remain private, only for Makinde to later publicize details of his own meeting with Tinubu.

The Oyo State government’s forceful denial seeks to quash the financial allegation, framing it as a politically motivated fabrication from a figure they deem lacking in credibility.

The challenge for public proof places the burden squarely on the accuser, turning the controversy into a test of credible evidence amidst the fractious landscape of Nigerian opposition politics.

The situation remains unresolved, with the public awaiting any corroborating documentation or statements from neutral institutions that could clarify the matter.