Oyo govt says Makinde has nothing to hide over EFCC probe
By Adejayan Gbenga
The Oyo State Government has dismissed claims by the All Progressives Congress that Governor Seyi Makinde is avoiding investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, insisting that the administration has “nothing to hide.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, said the government’s decision to approach the Federal High Court was aimed at seeking judicial clarification over the EFCC’s request for financial records and not an attempt to obstruct any investigation.
According to Olanrewaju, the EFCC, in a letter dated June 2, 2025, requested the state Accountant General, Kikelomo Adijat Adegoke (FCA), to provide copies of all contracts and details of transactions with contractors between 2021 and 2025.
He said the state government responded by asking the anti-graft agency to identify the specific contractors, companies or contracts under investigation but received no response, prompting it to file a suit before the Federal High Court to determine the legality of the request.
The spokesman said that in its judgment in suit FHC/IB/CS/61/2025, Justice Nkeonye Maha affirmed the EFCC’s statutory powers but ruled that the commission’s request amounted to a “fishing expedition” because it was speculative and not tied to specific allegations.
He added that the court held that Section 38 of the EFCC Act empowers the commission to demand information only for the purpose of investigating offences under the Act and that such requests must be reasonable and linked to identifiable allegations.
Reacting to the APC’s criticism, Olanrewaju maintained that seeking judicial interpretation of the EFCC’s powers was a constitutional right and should not be misconstrued as an attempt to evade scrutiny, stressing that the state would make its financial records available whenever a lawful and specific request is made.
He also defended the Makinde administration’s record on infrastructure, healthcare, education, salaries, pensions and job creation, describing the opposition’s allegation that the governor was running from investigation as misleading and legally unfounded.
