The announcement by Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, regarding a proposed ₦63.5 billion renovation of the Agodi Government House has sparked mixed reactions across political, civic, and public sectors.
Historically referred to as Oke Ebo, the Agodi Government House in Ibadan was established during Nigeria’s colonial era and has functioned as the official residence of successive governors — both military and civilian — overseeing the Western Region, old Western State, former Oyo State, and now the present-day Oyo State.
Governor Makinde recently disclosed his intentions at a public event in Ibadan, where he also delivered the State of the State address at the Oyo State House of Assembly, Secretariat, Agodi. According to the governor, Oyo State is rapidly becoming a hub for investment, owing to simplified governance models and effective policy execution.
Responding to the uproar over the substantial budgeted cost, Governor Makinde justified the high expenditure by attributing it to Nigeria’s unstable exchange rate and the inclusion of a broader scope of infrastructural upgrades — including building reconstruction, road repairs, and chalet enhancements.
He elaborated by recalling that the previous government had secured a $200 million World Bank loan for the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP). When his administration took office in May 2019, the loan stood at approximately ₦70 billion due to the then exchange rate of ₦350 to $1. Monthly repayments hovered around ₦700 million.
The governor used this to underscore how exchange rate volatility had impacted the debt portfolio of the state. The same $200 million loan now equates to a whopping ₦320 billion due to the exchange rate shift to ₦1,540 per dollar. As a result, monthly loan servicing has ballooned to ₦3 billion.
While highlighting the achievements of the IUFMP, including a working advanced warning system for floods, Makinde concluded that managing currency devaluation is beyond state-level governance.
“We will continue to act in the best interest of our state,” he affirmed.
Opposition and Civic Stakeholders Reject Makinde’s Renovation Budget
Despite Governor Makinde’s explanations, several political and civic groups have voiced strong opposition, accusing the administration of misplaced priorities, fiscal irresponsibility, and possible corruption.
APC Tells Makinde to Withdraw N63.5B Renovation Plan
The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) strongly condemned the proposed renovation. Publicity Secretary Wasiu Olawale Sadare, in a statement provided to LMSINT MEDIA, urged the governor to immediately reverse the decision.
Sadare labeled the move as a blatant display of extravagance and poor judgment, warning that it could further destabilize the state’s economy. He criticized the governor for prioritizing vanity projects, referencing an earlier controversial contract — the alleged purchase of exercise books for public school pupils at ₦2,100 per copy in 2019.
He accused Makinde of recycling similar tactics, noting that the government house had already undergone major renovations under former Governor Abiola Ajimobi in 2017. Sadare dismissed Makinde’s budget defense as an “attempt to mask a clear case of misappropriation.”
He also spotlighted issues surrounding the Alakia Airport upgrade, alleging contract splitting. According to him, Makinde released additional ₦10 billion and now ₦14.3 billion for a project initially budgeted at ₦14.3 billion — long after full payment was supposedly made.
The APC chieftain further criticized the acquisition of aircraft for supposed security operations, asserting that the planes were unnecessary and would only benefit the political elite.
“What Oyo needs is stronger synergy between stakeholders and proper funding of security forces, not luxurious aircrafts,” Sadare concluded.
SPN Labels Renovation a “Misplaced Priority”
The Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), Oyo State Chapter, also denounced the renovation plan, calling it a gross misallocation of scarce public resources. Secretary Ayodeji Adigun said in a statement that Governor Makinde’s rationale was unconvincing and contradicted economic logic.
The SPN accused the administration of exacerbating the state’s debt crisis. Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the party stated that the total debt prior to Makinde’s tenure was around ₦129 billion. This included ₦94 billion in domestic debt and ₦32 billion in external obligations.
However, within just 15 months of taking office, the state’s debt reportedly surged by an additional ₦140 billion, totaling ₦266 billion — evidence, according to the SPN, of financial recklessness.
“Blaming former governments while engaging in even more reckless spending is hypocritical,” the party said.
The SPN stressed that resources should have been directed towards critical sectors like education, healthcare, and rural development instead of a non-essential luxury project. It also criticized the security aircraft procurement, arguing that public safety should be achieved through better-equipped police forces and modern surveillance systems — not private jets.
Lawmakers, Citizens Must Demand Transparency – APC’s Alao
Engineer Oyedele Hakeem Alao, a senior member of the APC, also condemned the spending proposal, urging the state legislature and citizens to demand full accountability from the governor.
In a statement made available to LMSINT MEDIA, Alao asserted that the proposed expenditure was not included in the 2025 budget, and as such, represents unlawful spending.
“Budget allocations for 2025 earmarked ₦152 billion for infrastructure, ₦145 billion for education, and ₦59 billion for healthcare — not for renovating the Government House,” he explained.
Alao urged that any off-budget spending during this time of economic turmoil was both unjust and unethical, particularly when critical public services are underfunded. He called for immediate legislative scrutiny and a halt to vanity expenditures that fail to serve the needs of ordinary citizens.
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