Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has rejected claims that he received ₦50 billion from President Bola Tinubu to manage the aftermath of the January 2024 Ibadan explosion, describing the allegation as false and misleading.

The governor challenged former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, to provide evidence supporting the claim or desist from spreading unfounded allegations.

The allegation resurfaced after Fayose, in a televised interview, claimed that the ₦50 billion was released by the Presidency following the deadly Ibadan explosion but was allegedly not deposited into the official accounts of the Oyo State Government, raising questions about transparency.

The January 2024 explosion claimed five lives, injured at least 77 people, and destroyed about 55 houses. Governor Makinde had visited President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja to submit a detailed report and seek federal assistance for relief and recovery efforts.

The controversy intensified after Fayose’s former aide, Lere Olayinka, alleged on social media that only ₦4.5 billion of the purported ₦50 billion was disbursed to victims, sparking public debate.

Reacting, Makinde’s Chief Press Secretary, Sulaimon Olarenwaju, dismissed the allegations as baseless and reckless, stressing that no such amount was received by the Oyo State Government. He urged Fayose and others to provide verifiable proof, warning that public claims without evidence constitute deliberate misinformation.

The Oyo State Government affirmed that all interventions and funds related to the Ibadan explosion were handled transparently, with proper documentation of disbursements to victims and affected communities. Relief materials, compensation, and reconstruction efforts followed due process and were executed in the interest of those impacted.

Makinde’s administration reiterated its commitment to accountability and transparency, remaining open to scrutiny by relevant authorities and the public.