Fayose asks Makinde to refund N30bn Bodija explosion intervention fund

By Adejayan Gbenga –

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has asked Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to return the N30 billion released by the Federal Government as intervention funds for the January 16, 2024 Bodija explosion in Ibadan, saying the money should not remain unused.

Fayose made the call after Governor Makinde disclosed that the N30 billion received from the Federal Government had not been spent, pending the release of the remaining N20 billion from the N50 billion approved for the reconstruction of Old Bodija and surrounding areas.

In a statement issued on Thursday night by his spokesperson, Femi Philips, Fayose said it was inappropriate for the Oyo State Government to keep the funds in a bank while victims of the explosion were still awaiting relief.

He argued that if the funds had remained untouched since 2024, they should be returned to the Federal Government for direct use, adding that the Federal Government has mechanisms to reach victims of the disaster.

Fayose also claimed that the N30 billion would have accrued interest while in the bank, estimating that the sum could have generated about N4.5 billion at an interest rate of 10 per cent over 18 months.

He therefore insisted that Governor Makinde should return not less than N34.5 billion to the Federal Government, representing the principal and the estimated interest accrued.

The former governor said public office demands transparency and accountability, adding that he made the intervention funds public to expose what he described as inconsistencies in the handling of the matter by the Oyo State Government.

Fayose further accused Governor Makinde of selectively disclosing details of his meeting with President Bola Tinubu, warning that such actions could undermine the image of the President and should not be driven by political ambition.