Oyo State Governor and Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Seyi Makinde, has refuted claims made by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, regarding additional N30 billion allocations to states to address food insecurity. Makinde clarified that Oyo State has not received any such funds from the FIRS or the Federal Government, emphasizing his government’s commitment to transparency.
Addressing the issue in Iseyin during the commissioning of the newly-renovated multi-billion Naira Iseyin Central Mosque, facilitated by legal icon Ahmed Raji, SAN, Makinde praised Oyo State’s religious harmony and stressed the need for leaders to foster confidence and hope amidst economic challenges, rather than engaging in blame games.
As Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Makinde highlighted that no state, including Oyo, had received the alleged N30 billion. He criticized Akpabio’s reliance on unverified reports and explained that states cannot directly receive funds from the FIRS, as all revenues are channeled into the Federation Account, shared among the Federal Government, states, and local governments.
Makinde clarified that Oyo State had only received N2 billion out of the N5 billion promised to all states following the removal of fuel subsidy, and even faced requests for refund from the Federal Government. Despite economic challenges, Makinde affirmed his administration’s proactive approach in implementing measures to alleviate hardship, including the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) initiative, which Oyo State pioneered in June 2023.
