Makinde says he has nothing to hide over Oyo finances, dismisses APC’s claims

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has insisted that his administration has nothing to hide regarding the state’s finances, describing claims by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he was avoiding investigation as misleading and legally unfounded.

Makinde made the declaration while reacting to a statement by the Oyo State chapter of the APC following a Federal High Court ruling on the powers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

InfoStride News reported that the Federal High Court in Ibadan ruled on Wednesday that the EFCC lacks the power to investigate the finances of the current Oyo State administration.

Reacting to the judgment, the APC, in a statement issued on Thursday by its Publicity Secretary, Wasiu Sadare, maintained that the anti-graft agency would carry out its duties at the appropriate time and criticised the court’s decision.

However, Makinde, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, said his administration had managed the state’s resources prudently and had nothing to conceal.

The governor explained that the state’s decision to seek judicial clarification over the EFCC’s request for copies of all contracts and details of transactions with contractors between 2021 and 2025 was not an attempt to stop any investigation.

According to him, approaching the court was a constitutional right and should not be interpreted as an admission of wrongdoing.

“The decision of the Oyo State Government to approach the Federal High Court for clarification on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) demand for copies of all contracts and details of transactions with contractors between 2021 and 2025 is not an attempt to forestall investigation because neither the state government nor Governor Seyi Makinde has anything to hide,” the statement read.

“The APC’s claim that Governor Makinde’s decision to seek judicial intervention amounts to avoiding investigation is both misleading and legally unfounded. Resorting to the courts is not an admission of guilt but a constitutional right guaranteed under Nigerian law.”