N250bn Budget Allegation: Fake News Won’t Stop Yayi’s 2027 Ambition — Ogun APC
ABEOKUTA — The Ogun State APC Campaign Council has dismissed allegations that the party’s 2027 governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, inserted and looted projects worth N250 billion from the national budget.
The council described the allegation as “false, baseless and politically motivated,” saying it was part of what it called a desperate attempt to tarnish Adeola’s image ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The Media and Publicity Committee of the campaign council disclosed this on Friday in a statement signed by its Chairman, Chief Kayode Odunaro.
The campaign council said the allegations were based on a fundamental misunderstanding of Nigeria’s budgetary process, stressing that the national budget was an Act of the National Assembly and could not be controlled or altered unilaterally by an individual senator.
According to the council, Adeola, despite being Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, did not have the power to single-handedly insert, approve or implement projects or appropriate public funds at will.
The council added that adding that the committee operated within the framework of the National Assembly and considered proposals from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), alongside other inputs received through the legislative process.
The council also drew a distinction between budgetary provisions and actual project execution, arguing that the inclusion of projects in the Appropriation Act did not amount to evidence of corruption.
It explained that projects appropriated in the national budget were implemented by relevant government agencies, with procurement, contract awards, disbursement and execution subject to applicable laws and regulations.
It further maintained that once an Appropriation Act was passed by the National Assembly and assented to by the President, it became law, while legislators retained oversight responsibilities to ensure that funds were utilised in accordance with approved provisions.
The campaign council said it had no objection to any lawful investigation by the ICPC or other competent anti-corruption agencies, provided such investigations were based on verifiable facts and evidence.
However, the council expressed concern over what it described as the use of anonymous groups, unsubstantiated allegations and sensational publications to create an impression of wrongdoing against the APC candidate.
It urged the opposition to focus on presenting its programmes and engaging Ogun residents on issues affecting the state rather than what it described as attempts to manufacture controversies around Adeola.
The council added that Adeola remained focused on his legislative responsibilities and interventions across Ogun West and other parts of the state under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the APC-led Federal Government.
“Senator Adeola has nothing to fear from any legitimate investigation based on verifiable facts and evidence.
“No amount of political blackmail or fake news will distract him from his governorship aspiration.
“Legislators are not contractors and are not allocated public funds to execute constituency projects. Chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee does not confer unilateral control over the budget.
“We state categorically that the allegations are false, baseless and politically motivated. They are yet another desperate attempt to manufacture controversy around Senator Adeola ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
“Budgetary provision is not the same as project execution. Projects appropriated in the national budget are implemented by the relevant MDAs of the Executive arm of government. Procurement, contract award, disbursement and execution are the responsibility of the appropriate government agencies, subject to applicable laws and regulations. Legislators are not contractors and are not allocated public funds to execute constituency projects.”
