Oyo State governor-elect Seyi Makinde accuses Ajimobi of emptying coffers over the last 72 hours

OYO State governor-elect Seyi Makinde has raised an alarm that millions of naira have been transferred out of government coffers over the last 72 hours since he was announced as the winner of the recent gubernatorial contest.

On March 9, Mr Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the Oyo State governorship contest race, beating Bayo Adelabu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Outgoing Governor Abiola Ajimobi, who backed Mr Adelabu, was also beaten in the race for the senate, losing to Dr Kola Balogun of the PDP in the fight for the Oyo South Senatorial District.

According to Mr Makinde, money has been ferried from government coffers at an alarming rate since he was announced as the new governor-elect. He added that credible sources within government have revealed that non-visible contracts in particular, are being used as guises to cart away millions with the connivance of a few civil servants.

He said that while he does not want a time wasting holistic probe as he promised during his campaign, he will set a date line upon all contracts awarded and payments made under suspicious circumstances in the dying days of the current administration. Mr Makinde,  however, said that he may be forced to open the books if the aim is to rush money out through foul means before May 29 and leave the state in a financial crisis.

Furthermore, Mr Makinde said that cases of unscheduled recruitments and appointments including backdated ones have also been brought before him. He added: “Government will be fair but reverse any such move without hesitation but with consequences on those found to have committed infractions of the civil service guidelines."

Mr Kaminde said that outgoing Governor Ajimobi wrote to banks in 2011 to stop honouring cheques from the previous Akala outgoing administration but added that he will not tow that course. He, however, warned the government not to exhaust his patience on an issue that bothers on the livelihood of the people of Oyo State.

However, the state government in its reaction said that Mr Makinde’s allegation was far from the truth. Toye Arulogun, the Oyo State commissioner for information, culture and tourism, describes the allegation as false and bearing no iota of truth, maintaining that Governor Ajimobi has been running the affairs of the state in a transparent manner since 2001.

Mr Arulogun said: “The Oyo State government in reacting to the latest in a series of propaganda, wishes to state categorically and expressly that the statement by the spokesperson of the governor-elect that the Ajimobi led administration is siphoning money from government coffers is patently false and bears no iota of truth. It is a hoax intended to heat up the polity and whip up sentiments.

“Governor Abiola Ajimobi, who will be in the saddle till the expiration of his tenure on May 28, 2019 has been running the affairs of the state including fiscal transactions in the last eight years in a transparent manner in accordance with good governance and best practices. The Oyo State government will continue to operate in line with its constitutional and statutory responsibilities."