The Oyo State Government has dismissed a Sahara Reporters publication alleging that it spent ₦683.7 million to purchase two vehicles, describing the claim as false and based on a misinterpretation of the state’s audited financial records.
The government, in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, on Wednesday, September 16, said the ₦683.7 million cited in the report was not a vehicle procurement cost.
According to the government, the figure appeared under the budget line, “Advertisement and Publicity Awareness for the Public,” and represented programme-level expenditure covering several activities and logistics.
It explained that the Toyota Camry, said to be a 2004 model, and the Toyota Hiace 10-seater bus mentioned in the report were only components of the programme’s logistics and were not individually valued at ₦683.7 million.
The statement noted that the audited financial statement did not assign the ₦683.7 million to the two vehicles.
It also faulted the report for admitting that the financial document did not provide a breakdown of the amount allegedly spent on the vehicles, did not state their individual prices and did not indicate whether other expenses were included.
The government said actual vehicle procurement figures contained in the same audited statement showed separate prices for other vehicles, including a Toyota Coaster 30-seater, 2015 model, purchased for ₦140 million; Toyota Hiace Hummer Bus, 2021 model, ₦156.95 million; and Toyota Corolla models, 2019/2020, purchased for ₦28.98 million and ₦50.71 million respectively.
It argued that the figures further contradicted the claim that ₦683.7 million was spent solely on a 2004 Toyota Camry and a 10-seater Hiace bus.
The government described the report’s headline as a distortion based on an assumption rather than evidence contained in the audited financial statement.
“The public deserves accurate information, not sensationalism,” the statement said.
The Makinde administration, it added, remained committed to transparency, accountability and responsible financial management, stressing that the state’s audited financial statements were publicly available and prepared in line with statutory requirements.
While welcoming scrutiny of its finances, the government urged media organisations to ensure that their reports were grounded in the facts contained in official documents.
It maintained that the claim that Oyo State spent ₦683.7 million to purchase the two vehicles was “false, misleading and inconsistent with the financial records cited.”
