Alli Camp Accuses Makinde of Plotting to Divert N85bn French Loan for 2027 Presidential Bid

3 1 minute read

The campaign organization of Senator Sharafadeen Alli has raised the alarm over Governor Seyi Makinde’s handling of a €55 million (about N85 billion) concessional loan from the French government, warning that the funds—earmarked for rehabilitating Oyo State’s ailing healthcare facilities—may be diverted to finance politically motivated projects ahead of the 2027 general election.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organization said the loan constitutes a major financial obligation whose repayment falls to the next administration, and insisted it must be used strictly for its intended healthcare purpose.

The group alleged that Makinde has set up a committee to fast-track spending of the funds under the cover of project execution, just four months to the general election and eight months to the end of his tenure.

It also referenced the Oyo State House of Assembly’s approval in June of a N200 billion bond meant to refinance the state’s mounting debt, arguing that the timing of both moves—coming in an election season—casts doubt on the administration’s intentions.

The campaign organization further noted that monthly allocations to the state and its 33 local governments have quadrupled over the past three and a half years following the removal of the petrol subsidy, describing the windfall as an opportunity for states to cushion the effects of the policy rather than a resource to be misapplied.

While expressing support for any genuine healthcare initiative, the group demanded full disclosure of the loan’s terms, disbursement schedule, contractors, procurement process, implementation timeline, and beneficiary hospitals, stressing that residents “deserve to know how every euro will be spent.”

It cautioned Makinde against committing the state to opaque contracts or starting projects that cannot be completed and independently verified before he leaves office, and called on the state assembly, civil society groups, healthcare professionals, and the media to closely monitor how the loan is utilized.

The organization said it would continue to track the deployment of state resources and hold the administration accountable for what it described as questionable spending decisions.