Fayose’s N50 Billion Tinubu Donation Claim is Malicious, Baseless – Makinde
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has formally dismissed allegations by former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose that he received N50 billion from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the aftermath of the January 2024 Ibadan explosion, describing the claim as unsubstantiated and lacking evidence.
Addressing the press on Saturday, Dr. Sulaimon Olarenwaju, Makinde’s Special Adviser on Media, labelled Fayose’s assertions as baseless and challenged him to produce concrete proof to support the allegation. “He who makes an allegation must provide evidence,” Olarenwaju stated, further questioning the credibility of Fayose’s claim and emphasising that neither the President nor the Federal Government had confirmed any such donation.
Fayose, speaking on the television programme Politics Tonight, had accused Governor Makinde of failing to disclose that he secured N50 billion from the presidency following the explosion that killed several people, injured dozens and damaged properties in Ibadan. According to Fayose, while the funds were not directly deposited into the state’s coffers, they were linked to Makinde’s subsequent meeting with President Tinubu.
In rebuttal, Makinde’s spokesman maintained that there is no record or official statement confirming the alleged donation. “There was no N50 billion donation,” he reiterated, emphasising the absence of any public or government documentation to substantiate the claim.
The exchange between the former and current governors comes amid ongoing political disagreements within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including Makinde’s earlier declaration that he would not support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 and his rejection of an invitation to assist the All Progressives Congress (APC) in organisational matters.
