APC uncovers fresh N1.85b vehicle purchase scandal in Oyo LGAs

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state has raised a fresh alarm over a case of misappropriation of a sum of N1.85 billion by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde which was allegedly removed from the account of the 33 Local Government Councils in the state for the purchase of 66 utility vehicles but which were not supplied.

It has been alleged that the state government, through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, directed that two brand new Toyota Hilux vans be purchased for each of the 33 Local Government Councils with money deducted at source from the monthly allocation due to each of the councils only for the ministry officials to invite Director of Works from all the councils and cajoled them to sign for collection of vehicles which were not handed to them.

In a statement issued on Monday and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC faulted the open declaration made by Gov. Makinde that he would never support granting of autonomy to the local government council which is the third tier of government as enshrined in the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.

“There seems to be no end to the looting spree in the current PDP administration of Gov. Seyi Makinde as another case of misappropriation of public funds was recorded recently when Gov. Makinde reportedly asked some officials to work out a plan to further deplete the treasury of the 33 Local Government Councils. They immediately came up with a memo ordering council chairmen to key into the joint purchase of two units of luxurious utility vehicles and the Toyota Hilux brand was specified.

“The unit price of each vehicle was fixed at N28 million while each council was made to pay for two putting the total at N1.85 billion which was deducted from the federal allocation of the same month when the memo was transmitted. Early last week, the Director of Works from each of the 33 councils was invited to the collection of their two brand-new vehicles but nothing was handed to them after they had been made to sign relevant papers indicating the vehicles had been delivered to them in good condition. It is on this note we are calling on the relevant anti-corruption agencies to investigate the matter and all culprits to book.” APC stated.

In the same vein, Oyo APC has advised members of the Oyo State Traditional Council to disregard the promise made to them by Gov. Makinde that 10 per cent of monthly council allocation would be paid to them stating it was a packaged lie “aimed at using the traditional rulers and dumping them again. The pertinent question is; how many times has Gov. Makinde released the statutory five per cent deduction from local government monthly allocation to these traditional rulers in the last 45 months?

“It is a fact that Gov. Makinde does not give these people (traditional rulers) their deserved treatment and one wonders why he could still deem it fit to offer them fake promises at this time when he needs their support for another term in office. The only thing he (Makinde) is good at is to bankroll funeral ceremonies to celebrate the transition of Obas in the state but we think that they deserve to be treated well while alive.” Sadare added.