Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are at loggerheads and the face-off appears to be escalating on a daily basis.
The bone of contention between them is the monthly security vote allocated to the governor.
After months of keeping sealed lips on the reason for the lingering ‘cat and mouse’ game between the commission and the Oyo State government, Makinde’s administration during the week said the EFCC lacked the power to investigate, audit or probe the disbursement and expenditure of its security votes contained in the state’s Consolidated Revenue Fund.
Observers of the politics of the state say the statement by Makinde’s Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, is coming on the heel of incessant arrest of officials of the state by operatives of the commission in recent times.
The commission had earlier claimed that it is investigating an allegedly missing N9bn local government fund. It is for this reason some officials of the state government, including the Accountant-General of the State, Gafar Bello, was arrested.
Sentry gathered that the commission has compiled allegations against the arrested officials and a case has been instituted against them in court. “The commission is saying it has evidence linking the arrested officials to the missing money,” a source said.
But the governor has now told the world that the issue is about security votes, saying the subject is already before the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan.
He also said contrary to reports, there was no truth in the claim that Bello, was arrested by the EFCC in relation to the allegedly missing local government funds.