The Oyo State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged Governor Seyi Makinde to provide a full account of the N50 billion intervention funds reportedly requested from the Federal Government following the January 2024 Bodija explosion.

In a statement released on Sunday and signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Bimpe Adelowo, the party accused the state government of being “unaccountable, deceptive, divisive, and misleading” in its management of public resources.

The issue came to light after former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose claimed that the Oyo State Government had requested N50 billion for reconstruction and victim support. While Governor Makinde’s aides later clarified that only N30 billion was received, the ADC insists that the public was not informed until Fayose’s revelation.

The party highlighted a discrepancy between the funds received and what has reportedly been spent on victims. While the governor stated that approximately N4.5 billion had been disbursed directly to victims, there was no accounting for the remaining N25.5 billion.

“Oyo State Governor claimed he had disbursed about N4.5 billion directly to the victims of the Bodija explosion but failed to account for the balance of N25.5 billion,” Adelowo said.

The ADC also questioned whether the State Assembly was aware of the unaccounted funds or if they were diverted to other projects. The party added, “It is safe to say that the entire disbursed N30 billion was misappropriated and unlawfully diverted to projects unrelated to the purpose for which the money was released.”

The statement noted that Fayose’s document only reflected a request for the funds, not an actual disbursement, but the ADC stressed that the governor’s delay in disclosing the request reflects a lack of transparency.

The party called on Governor Makinde to provide a detailed breakdown of the N30 billion intervention funds for public scrutiny.

“He should own up and apologize to the people of Oyo for taking them for a ride. He should release the details of the disbursed N30 billion intervention funds for public review; after all, he holds the funds in trust for them, and they deserve to know,” Adelowo added.

The Bodija explosion, which occurred on January 16, 2024, led to multiple fatalities and significant property damage. The ADC insists that the federal intervention funds must be managed with the highest level of accountability.

The Oyo State Government has reiterated that it received N30 billion, not N50 billion, from the Federal Government after the Ibadan explosion in January 2024. Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, described Fayose’s allegations as misleading and emphasized that no evidence supports the claim that N50 billion was given to the governor.

“The Federal Government did not give Governor Makinde N50 billion. This is why Fayose could not provide proof. The memo he shared actually confirms what was not disbursed,” Olanrewaju said.