Documents have shown that the immediate past Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi; his Deputy, Moses Alake Adeyemo; then Secretary to the State Government, Ishmael Olalekan Alli; and hordes of political aides in the immediate past Administration in Oyo State left with vehicles worth over N1 billion.
One of the documents sighted by The Eagle Online showed that the decision to release the vehicles to the elected and appointed political appointees was partly based on Alli’s recommendation.
Recall that insideoyo.com had earlier reported that Governor Seyi Makinde accused the Ajimobi government of carting away Oyo state government properties worth billions of naira.
According to the Memo dated May 4, 2019 and titled: “Exit package for Principal Officers of Government,” Alli told Ajimobi that based on law and practice in other South West States, he should give the approval for the vehicles to be given out free of charge.
He wrote in the concluding part of the memo: “Based on the above, I am recommending for Your Excellency’s approval that the Governor, Deputy Governor and any other principal/political appointee be considered as deserving of such an exit package free of charge as may be approved by Your Excellency.”
Insideoyo.com gathered that Ajimobi gave his approval as recommended.
The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, A.O. Makanjuola, who was one of the beneficiaries, in a letter to Ajimobi, dated April 18, 2019, requested for her Toyota Highlander 2014 Model as her own exit package.
Makanjuola, in the letter before Alli’s own, wrote: “May I humbly your gracious approval for the allocation, as an exit privilege, of my official car – Toyota Highlander – 2014 Model, Reg. No. 06D 14 OY, Chassis No. 5TDBKRFH7DS025504 and Engine No. 2GRE632241X, Clour Blue, free of charge, in line with the exercise of Your Excellency discretionary power on the request.”
Ajimobi gave the approval on April 19, 2019.
From the Governor’s Fleet, three vehicles were given out.
These were a Lexus Jeep attached to Ajimobi himself, a Land Cruiser Jeep attached to the Aide-De-Camp of the Governor and a Hilux Toyota attached to the Governor’s Escort Commander.
From the Deputy Governor’s fleet and attached to Alake were a Toyota Land Cruiser and three Toyota Hilux pick up vans.
Among others who benefitted were the SSG who got a brand new 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado; Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, a full option Toyota Land Cruiser GX-R, 2016 Model; and the Head of Service, a Toyota Prado and a Toyota Hilux pick up.
The cost of the vehicles have been put at over N1 billion by the government.
One of them was said to have cost the State Government over N140 million.
The issue of the vehicles became a major one when Governor Seyi Makinde requested for them, with Ajimobi telling him to face governance instead of focusing on mundane issues.
