The Oyo State Government has leveled serious allegations against the federal government, claiming a substantial portion of the financial aid promised for victims of the January Bodija explosion was withheld over demands for kickbacks.
Dr. Sulaiman Olanrewaju, Special Adviser on Media to Governor Seyi Makinde, made the accusation on Sunday while categorically denying an earlier claim by former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, that Makinde had diverted N50 billion in relief funds.
Fayose had alleged the governor received and secretly saved the sum to fund a future presidential bid—an assertion Olanrewaju dismissed as “misleading and deliberately disingenuous.”
In a detailed rebuttal, Olanrewaju presented a breakdown of the finances. He clarified that the often-cited N50 billion was a total support package pledged by the federal government following the tragic explosion that rocked the Ibadan neighborhood.
According to the aide, only N30 billion of that amount was eventually released to the state.
“The remaining N20 billion was withheld because of demands for inducements, which Governor Makinde refused to pay,” Olanrewaju stated, framing the issue as a stand against federal-level corruption rather than a failure of state governance.
“The issue is not about promises. It is about what was done with the funds that were released,” he emphasized.
Olanrewaju provided an account of the N30 billion expenditure, stating that N4.5 billion was disbursed directly to verified victims of the disaster. The balance, he explained, was channeled into critical recovery projects, including the rebuilding of destroyed structures, repairs to damaged roads and infrastructure, security upgrades in the area, and plans for a community memorial.
The media adviser linked the resurgence of corruption allegations against Makinde to recent political friction, notably the governor’s public declaration that he would not support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
“These actions are not driven by principle. They are driven by desperation,” Olanrewaju said, also condemning what he described as attempts to manipulate the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structures in Oyo State.
He concluded by asserting the governor’s resolve, stating, “Governor Makinde has made his position clear: he will not be complicit in coercion or intimidation. And if he must stand alone, he will stand, but he is not alone.”
The Federal Government has not yet issued a response to the bribery allegation. The claims mark a significant escalation in the political narrative surrounding the disaster relief and spotlight ongoing tensions within the political landscape of Southwest Nigeria.