Downplays latest resignations from his govt
By Adeyinka Adeniran
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Tuesday presented the 2027 Appropriation Bill of N1.15 trillion, christened the “Budget of sustained progress”, to the members of the state house of Assembly.
This is as he described the latest wave of resignations by some officials in his administration as “having no meaning.”
The presentation had in attendance top government functionaries, party stalwarts, traditional rulers, interest groups, among other stakeholders.
According to the governor, the figure for the 2027 fiscal year is made of N1,150,341,378,359.94
While the Capital expenditure stands at N670,030,943,646.45, representing 60.47% of the total budget, the Recurrent Expenditure is N445,310,434,713.45, representing 39.93% of the budget.
For the sectoral allocations: Infrastructure takes the highest share of N236,148,933,444.76, representing 21.17% of the total budget.
It is followed by Education with N190,525,234,956.77, representing 17.08% of the total budget while Healthcare takes N93,011,999,194.69, representing 8.34% of the total budget.
Speaking on the recent wave of resignations involving political appointees and other officials in his government, the governor said he was counting those who had left but insisted that their decisions had no significance for his administration.
He also disclosed that a female official among those who resigned had approached him with what he described as an impossible request, adding that she tendered her resignation after he turned down the request.
It was the first time the governor would make public comment since the wave of defections hit his administration.
The 2027 Appropriation Bill is particularly significant as it represents the final budget presentation of Makinde’s administration, which is expected to conclude its second term in 2027.
In his remarks while welcoming the Governor for the presentation of the 2027 Budget Estimates, Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin noted that his presence “underscores your administration’s respect for Constitutional democracy and the cordial working relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government.”
Highlighting that it represents “the final budget of this administration,” the Speaker emphasized that the occasion provides an opportunity to “consolidate the achievements of the last seven and a half years, sustain ongoing developmental programmes and strengthen the foundation for sustainable growth and prosperity.”
The Speaker outlined the significant legislative milestones achieved by the 10th Oyo State House of Assembly, reporting that since June 2023, the House has “passed 41 Bills into law, processed 146 Committee Reports and 184 Motions, and adopted over 1,500 Resolutions.”
He also highlighted key public engagements on major legislative proposals like the “Oyo State Real Properties Protection Bill, Presumptive Tax Bill, Consumer Protection Agency Bill, Oyo State Roads Fund Bill and Single-Use Plastics Prohibition Bill.”
Additionally, he celebrated an institutional milestone, noting that the establishment of the Post-Legislative Scrutiny (PLS) Unit in January 2025 made Oyo State “the first State House of Assembly in Nigeria to establish a dedicated unit for this purpose.”
Addressing the incoming fiscal plan, the Speaker assured the Governor that the House “shall give the proposed budget the necessary legislative attention and scrutiny, guided by the overriding interest of the people of Oyo State.”
He also took the opportunity to advocate for legislative support staff by bringing forward specific requests from the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), which include an “upward review of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) to 100 per cent, regularisation of ad-hoc staff appointments and the release of the bus earlier approved for the Association.”
Speaking on the upcoming political cycle, the Speaker expressed confidence that the citizens of Oyo State will recognize the administration’s efforts by “giving their overwhelming mandate to all candidates of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) across the State.”
He also expressed optimism that Governor Makinde’s leadership would expand onto the national stage, anticipating seeing his vision translated as he emerges “President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in May 2027, bringing your Reset Nigeria agenda to the national stage.”
