Oyo Governor Makinde Makes Fresh Appointments — See Who’s In

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has approved the appointment of David Aderemi Okediji as Chairman of the Oyo State Audit Service Commission, and Olufemi Ebenezer Olanrewaju as Special Assistant on Liaison Office (Lagos).

The appointments were announced in a letter dated Tuesday, January 20, and signed by the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi.

In the letter, Governor Makinde urged the newly appointed officials to perform their duties with the highest level of responsibility, loyalty, and dedication to the service of the state. He emphasized that their work should reflect his administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and effective governance.

The letter also disclosed the effective dates of the appointments: Okediji assumes office as Chairman of the Audit Service Commission from January 15, 2026, while Olanrewaju’s role as Special Assistant (Lagos Liaison) takes effect from January 20, 2026.

These appointments are part of ongoing efforts by the Makinde administration to strengthen public institutions and improve coordination between Oyo State and its liaison offices outside the state.

In a related development, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged mismanagement and diversion of funds released by the Federal Government to the Oyo State Government following the January 2024 Bodija explosion in Ibadan.

The petition, dated January 5, 2026, was signed by HEDA Chairman Olanrewaju Suraju and addressed to EFCC Chairman Olanipekun Olukoyede. It questioned the status and utilization of the ₦30 billion allocated for victim compensation, reconstruction of the affected Bodija area, and emergency relief.

HEDA expressed concern that only about ₦4.5 billion of the funds had reportedly been used for relief and compensation, while the remaining sum allegedly remains unaccounted for.

The petition followed public controversy after former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose claimed during a national television interview that the Federal Government had released ₦50 billion to Oyo State for the explosion victims and reconstruction of Old Bodija.

In response, the Oyo State Government acknowledged receipt of federal funds but clarified that it received ₦30 billion—not ₦50 billion—and that the money remains untouched pending the release of the remaining ₦20 billion.

Following the clarification, victims of the Bodija explosion demanded the immediate release of the ₦30 billion to supplement previous compensation, which they described as inadequate.