MAKINDE VS FAYOSE: TRANSPARENCY OR DEFLECTION? BY
LANRE OGUNDIPE
BY
LANRE OGUNDIPE
GREATRIBUNETVNEWS–Governor Seyi Makinde’s challenge to Ayo Fayose to prove allegations on intervention funds misses the point on public accountability.
KEY ISSUES:
– Transparency Required: Public office holders have a duty of complete disclosure of public funds, not just respond to allegations.
– Oyo State’s Intervention Funds: Records show Oyo State requested and was considered for tens of billions of naira in intervention funds.
– Incomplete Disclosure: Makinde’s declaration of only ₦4.5 billion raises questions, demands fuller explanation.
QUOTES:
– “The recent public challenge issued by Seyi Makinde… misses the central issue confronting public office holders: the duty of complete and transparent disclosure of public funds.” – Commentary
– “Available records from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation show that Oyo State featured among states that formally requested and were considered for intervention funds running into tens of billions of naira.” – Report
– “Against this backdrop, the Governor’s public declaration of only ₦4.5 billion raises legitimate questions that cannot be settled by political exchanges or personal challenges.” – Commentary
In matters of public finance, accountability demands clarity on four critical points:
the total amount requested by the state,
the sum approved by the relevant federal authorities,
the amount actually received, and
any outstanding balance, reversal, or non-disbursement, supported by verifiable documentation.
To date, no comprehensive reconciliation addressing these points has been placed before the public. A challenge to critics does not discharge the constitutional and moral obligation to account fully for funds associated with one’s office. The burden of transparency rests with the custodian of public trust, not with political opponents.
This is not a partisan dispute. It is a question of public accountability, fiscal integrity, and respect for democratic oversight. Nigerians are entitled to know whether the figures reflected in federal records align with state disclosures, and if not, why.
We therefore call on the Governor of Oyo State to publish a detailed, itemised account reconciling federal intervention records with state receipts. Such openness would strengthen public confidence and place the matter beyond conjecture.
In public service, honour is demonstrated through transparency, not assertion. The public deserves facts, not challenges.
e-signed
Lanre Ogundipe
Former President Nigeria and Africa Union of Journalists
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