By Milcah Tanimu

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has vehemently denied Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s assertion that states received an additional N30 billion each for food security outside their regular allocations. Speaking at the commissioning of the renovated Iseyin Central Mosque, Governor Makinde clarified that neither Oyo nor any other state, to his knowledge, received such funds.

Governor Makinde explicitly refuted claims of receiving any N30 billion from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) or the Federal Government. He extended his denial to other states, emphasizing his role as the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).

The governor criticized Akpabio for relying on “unverified reports” and clarified that states do not receive funds directly from the FIRS. Instead, all revenue enters the Federation Account for distribution to various government tiers.

Governor Makinde highlighted the challenging economic period the nation is facing and stressed the importance of addressing real issues with genuine solutions. He expressed his commitment to transparency and refuted the possibility of FIRS providing funds directly to any state, emphasizing that all revenues in the federation belong to the entire nation and are distributed among all levels of government.