Looted Funds: Oyo PDP Backs Makinde To Probe Last Govt., Says Party May Seek Court Order To Expedite Action

From Ogundele Olanrewaju

The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state has thrown its weight behind the state Governor, Seyi Makinde, on his pronouncement to probe the last administration with the aim of retrieving public funds looted from the state coffers.

It would be recalled that Governor Makinde had last week, while featuring on a Live radio program in Ibadan had declared that his Government will not leave any stone unturned to retrieve every Kobo stolen from Oyo purse during the last administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Oyo state PDP in a statement on Thursday April 21 by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Akeem Olatunji, said the party is disturbed by what it described as unwarranted kid gloves treatment of the matter by the state Governor for almost three years since inception of the present administration.

It would also be recalled that the ruling party has at different times in the past called on Governor Makinde to set machineries in motion to probe the last government of APC in the state with the aim of retrieving all public funds diverted into private purse as well as all misappropriated monies.

The Oyo state PDP wondered why the state government has yet to commence probing of the last government despite the pronouncement to do so saying that no sentimental coloration should be attached to the probe move.

The ruling party also noted that in the face of clarity, the last APC government did an extrensive probe and prosecution of a previous government of former Governor Rashidi Ladoja before it until the Court of law gave a final ruling on it.

The party urged Governor Seyi Makinde to as a matter of urgency and necessity commence the probe in order to retrieve stolen public funds and monies misappropriated under the APC government from 2011–2019.

The statement reads partly, “we are still bewildered as a political party as to why the Governor, His Excellency, Engr Seyi Makinde has continued to show undeserved leniency to those who have made pensioners, retirees and even civil servants in the state to suffer undeserved and untold hardship as a result of deliberate denial of their legitimate rights after serving the state meritoriously.

“We want to state it unequivocally clear that probing the last APC administration will be the only elixir that can heal the wounded hearts of all those who have lost their loved ones to the cold hands of death as a result of denied rights and benefits after many years of active service in the state civil service.

“It is of note that apart from brazen misappropriation and diversion of public funds under the last APC government which runs into several billions of naira, civil servants who were then in active service and others still in active service before the emergence of the PDP led Government were made to suffer unjust treatment even across ministries and government parastatals.

“The fifty billion Health Endowment funds that was either diverted to private purse or misappropriated is yet to be accounted for. The sudden and questionable wealth acquired by many officials who served under the last APC government can not be allowed to be swept under the carpet.

“We are optimistic that Governor Makinde will by reason of posterity and justice to every resident and citizen of Oyo who hold his personality and reputation in the highest esteem immediately set machineries with the view to retrieving every stolen Kobo from the coffers of the state between 2011 and 2019 while assuring the state government of our maximum and unreserved cooperation and support in the entire probe process.”