Oyo Govt Debunks Report Of Spending ₦683m On Two Vehicles, Says Claim False, Misleading

MOUTHPIECE NGR reports that Oyo State Government has debunked a Sahara Reporters publication claiming the state spent ₦683.7 million to purchase two vehicles, a 2004 Toyota Camry and a 10-seater Toyota Hiace bus, describing the report as false, misleading and sensational.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media to Governor Seyi Makinde, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, and made available to newsmen on Thursday, the government said the ₦683.7m figure was mischievously misinterpreted.

According to the statement, the amount does not represent vehicle procurement cost but appears under the budget line titled “Advertisement and Publicity Awareness for the Public.”

“This is a programme-level expenditure, covering multiple activities and components. The vehicles mentioned in the report were merely part of the programme’s logistics, not standalone purchases valued at ₦683m,” Olanrewaju said.

While noting that Sahara Reporters itself admitted in the report that the document “does not provide a breakdown of how much was spent on the Toyota Camry and the Hiace bus,” “does not state the individual prices,” and “does not indicate whether other expenses were included,” but still went ahead with a misleading headline.

The CPS added that actual vehicle procurement figures in the same audited financial statement show market-aligned pricing, such as Toyota Coaster (30-seater, 2015) – ₦140 million, Toyota Hiace Hummer Bus (2021) – ₦156.95 million, and Toyota Corolla (2019/2020) – ₦28.98 million and ₦50.71 million.

“These figures demonstrate that the government’s procurement practices follow standard pricing. It is therefore illogical to suggest that the state paid ₦683m for a 2004 Camry and a 10-seater Hiace,” he said.

The government however stressed that no line item in the audited financial statement supports the claim, adding that the Makinde-led administration remains committed to transparency, accountability and responsible financial management.

“We welcome scrutiny, but such scrutiny must be grounded in facts. The claim that Oyo State spent ₦683m to purchase two vehicles is false, misleading and inconsistent with the financial records cited. We urge media organisations to uphold professional standards,” the statement added.