Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly rejected allegations of financial misconduct levelled against Governor Seyi Makinde by a group styling itself as the Save Oyo Movement (SOM). In a statement issued on Sunday, April 26, 2026, the party accused the group of spreading speculative figures and attempting to mislead the public with unfounded claims.
The PDP’s reaction, conveyed in a release by its Publicity Secretary, Michael Ogunyinka, was titled: “Re: Baseless allegations of financial misconduct against Governor Seyi Makinde.” The party maintained that public finance in Oyo State is governed by established legal and institutional frameworks, including appropriation laws, due process mechanisms, and oversight by relevant authorities, and that expenditures are neither arbitrary nor concealed.
The allegations, which have been widely circulated in the media, stem from a press release issued earlier on Sunday by the Save Oyo Movement. The group claimed that Governor Makinde had “wasted” another N2 billion on the opposition political summit held in Ibadan on Saturday, April 25, 2026. The SOM further alleged that the governor had lavished over N10 billion from the N30 billion received from the Federal Government for victims of the January 2024 Ibadan explosion on his alleged bid to become the vice presidential candidate of any political party in the 2027 elections. The group called for an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), even threatening to petition the anti-graft agencies.
According to the SOM’s coordinator, Comrade Akeem Oladiti, the group was not against the governor having political ambition, but insisted that such ambition must not be at the expense of the welfare of the people of Oyo State. Oladiti specifically pointed to the November 15 and 16, 2025, PDP National Convention held in Ibadan, which he claimed cost over N5 billion, and the “failed obas’ coronation ceremony”, which he put at N1.5 billion.
The group also claimed that Governor Makinde had spent N2 billion on the opposition summit. However, the PDP described these figures as entirely speculative and lacking any credible basis. The party argued that no verifiable document, budgetary reference, procurement record, or audit trail had been presented to support the claims.
The PDP’s statement also took a swipe at the APC in Oyo State, describing its reaction as “not only disingenuous but a calculated exercise in political amnesia, selective morality, and intellectual dishonesty.” The party said that attempts to drag Governor Makinde into a manufactured controversy would fail, and that Nigerians were not unaware of the emerging pattern of misrepresentation targeted at opposition figures who consistently challenge power with facts and figures. The PDP reaffirmed that the Makinde administration has remained consistent in prioritising transparency, accountability, and responsible governance in the management of public resources. It pointed to what it described as visible and verifiable progress in infrastructure development, workers’ welfare, education, healthcare, and security as indicators of prudent resource management.
The allegations come at a politically charged time, with the country gearing up for the 2027 general elections. Governor Makinde, who is widely believed to have presidential or vice-presidential ambitions, has been a vocal critic of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The opposition summit in Ibadan was attended by several opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark. The summit, which ended with a declaration to field a single presidential candidate in 2027, was seen as a major attempt to unseat President Bola Tinubu.
While the PDP and the Oyo State Government have dismissed the allegations as baseless, the Save Oyo Movement has vowed to proceed with its petition to the EFCC and ICPC. The coming weeks will determine whether the anti-graft agencies will act on the group’s request or dismiss it as a political vendetta. Meanwhile, the PDP has urged members of the public to disregard the claims and rely on verified information from credible sources. The party’s position is clear: in the absence of evidence, the allegations remain nothing but a desperate attempt to muddy the waters ahead of the 2027 elections.
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