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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has started investigating the allocation of N11.5 billion as a security vote for the Ondo State Ministry of Finance in this year’s budget.

Vanguard gathered that personnel of the EFCC have arrived in the state to verify the budget details.

The leadership of the State Assembly would soon be summoned to provide further insights into the budget’s passage, particularly the N11.5 billion allocation for the Finance Ministry as a security vote.

The allocation of N11.5b and others for the finance ministry has raised concerns about transparency and accountability in the state’s financial management regime.

Also, in the Ministry of Finance 2025 budget, an additional allocation of N250 million was budgeted for honorarium and sitting allowances and N1.5 billion for contingencies.

Recall that the state governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on December 10, 2024, presented a N655 billion budget to the Ondo State House of Assembly.

Aiyedatiwa on December 30, 2024, signed into law the budget passed by the Assembly after it had been increased by N43.4 billion, bringing the total budget to N698 billion.

Meanwhile, The Nigerian Anti-Corruption Network (NACN) has condemned the inclusion of the N11.5 billion security vote.

In a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Mike Aderosoye, the group expressed outrage over what it described as an “affront to the sensibilities of Ondo State citizens.”

Aderosoye said that “It is unacceptable for a commissioner, who reports to the governor, to appropriate a security vote budget head when the governor is already receiving one.

This raises suspicions of gross mismanagement and deliberate looting of public resources.

It also criticized Governor Aiyedatiwa for failing to prioritize meaningful governance.

“It is shameful that a governor who has not commissioned a kilometre of road in the past year and has abandoned countless projects would allow his commissioner to insert such an outrageous sum into the budget for personal gain,” the group stated.

The NACN urged the EFCC to thoroughly investigate the matter, warning against any attempt to sweep it under the carpet.

“The EFCC must prove its commitment to fighting corruption. We will not hesitate to seek legal redress if this case is abandoned,” it said.

The group called on the state government to redirect the N11.5 billion to developmental projects, including roads, healthcare, and education.

“This money belongs to the people of Ondo State and should be used to alleviate their suffering, not to fund dubious security votes.

A top civil servant staff who spoke on condition of anonymity described the allocation as “strange.”

A source in the EFCC said that “We are investigating whether such an amount has ever been allocated to the ministry in previous budgets.

We are also interested in understanding the purpose of this allocation and how it will be spent, especially since the governor already receives a security vote package which is not disclosed.

“This is not a witch hunt but a clear way of trying to find out the truth of the matter on the case at hand.

Several anti-corruption bodies have called and made inquiries on the matter like you are also doing right now”

Meanwhile, members of the public have expressed concern over the allocation of N200m to all members of the Assembly on phone calls and also that of the speaker which is to gulp N280,000,00 in the fiscal year among other expenses accrued to the Assembly including travelling and Security.

In an interview, civil servants said that “the allocation is nothing but misplacement of priorities on the part of the Assembly members and that of the government.

They said further that, the constituencies of the members are nothing to write home about in terms of infrastructure and Education

“it’s a pity that we are where we are today in the state. According to her ” She said the state is the least developing state in terms of infrastructure in the southwest, that the assembly members can not fight for this but rather to be sharing the commonwealth of the people.

The Finance commissioner, R S Omowunmi Isaac, could not be reached for comment.

But a top officer in the ministry said that the allocation to the finance ministry has been thoroughly scrutinized by the assembly and passed.

He said that there is no reason to raise unnecessary alarm.

Also, efforts to speak with the Speaker, Rt Hon Olamide Oladiji proved abortive.

A lawmaker who spoke in confidence said that the members are not afraid of the EFCC officials since they don’t have skeletons in their cupboards.

The anti-graft agency officials are not lions. We’ll open our books for them to scrutinise. The budget is now a public document. There’s nothing to fear.

Vanguard