Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has denied allegations that his administration received part of a ₦570 billion hardship grant reportedly disbursed by the Federal Government to state governments across Nigeria.
The denial comes after President Bola Tinubu announced the distribution of the funds during a national broadcast addressing the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests against hunger and economic hardship.
In his speech, President Tinubu stated that the Federal Government had released ₦570 billion to the 36 states to support livelihood initiatives and assist citizens struggling with the current economic challenges.
The President also mentioned that 600,000 nano-businesses had already benefited from nano-grants provided by the government, with an additional 400,000 businesses expected to benefit in the near future.
The President’s announcement was part of a broader address where he discussed the state of the economy, revealing that Nigeria spends ₦2 trillion monthly on importing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel.
Tinubu further disclosed that the Federal Government accumulated ₦9.1 trillion in fiscal revenue during the first half of 2024, a significant increase from the earnings of the previous administration.
However, Governor Makinde, in a newsletter titled “No 95 | August 2024,” personally signed and shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday, refuted the claim that Oyo State had received any portion of the ₦570 billion grant.
The newsletter was a response to inquiries from concerned citizens of Oyo State, who sought clarity on the alleged disbursement.
“In my newsletter tonight, I responded to a question from a concerned citizen of Oyo State regarding the claim that the Federal Government ‘gave’ States over ₦570 billion as some kind of ‘hardship fund’ for citizens,” Governor Makinde wrote. “I want to categorically state that Oyo State has not received any such funds from the Federal Government.”
