APC demands transparency from Makinde over alleged ₦50bn Bodija relief fund

By Adejayan Gbenga –

The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked Governor Seyi Makinde to explain how an alleged ₦50 billion relief fund from the Federal Government was utilised following the January 2024 explosion in Bodija GRA, Ibadan.

The demand followed claims by former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, who alleged during a television interview that President Bola Tinubu approved the funds for victims after Makinde briefed him on the incident.

Fayose accused the Oyo State Government of failing to publicly acknowledge receipt of the money or properly apply it to provide relief for those affected by the explosion.

Reacting to the allegation, the Oyo APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, said the governor must give a clear account of how the funds were spent, stressing the need for transparency.

Sadare also criticised Makinde’s recent remarks against President Tinubu and the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made during a media chat in which the governor claimed he rejected a request to reorganise the APC in the state.

He noted that Makinde had earlier claimed to have spent ₦4.5 billion on victims without providing detailed records, adding that the alleged ₦50 billion relief fund required a more comprehensive explanation.

The APC spokesman dismissed Makinde’s comments about the party’s internal capacity, insisting that the APC in Oyo State did not require intervention from the governor.

Sadare further accused Makinde of financial mismanagement, alleging inflation of contract costs since assuming office in 2019, and cited the renovation of Agodi Government House and the Ibadan Circular Road project as examples.