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Seyi Makinde: Celebrating 100 Days of Immeasurable Achievements
By Eric Elezuo
His road to becoming the executive governor of Oyo State on May 29, 2019 was everything divine, little wonder he has not looked back in attempting to do and doing the right thing for the people of the state. His name is Engineer Abiodun Oluwaseyi Makinde. He has just clocked 100 days on the seat of administration and has an avalanche of reference-able achievements in his 100 days kit. Here is a man who waved his immunity as governor, declaring that he wished to be held accountable even while still in office.
Born to a renowned teacher turned accountant, late Pa Olatubosun Makinde and Madam Abigail Makinde of Aigbofa Compound in Oja’ba, Ibadan, Makinde, popularly called GSM, who is the third child of the family, brought with him integrity, honesty, transparency and much more to governance. He gave stakeholders as well as detractors the shock of their lives when he boldly and publicly declared his N40 billion assets. Makinde’s action, which no one is yet to reciprocate or replicate, is a testimony of the fact that he made verifiable wealth, and is not in possession of any form of ‘skeleton’. Not only that, Makinde made a statement of where he is coming from and the destination his vision is set. And in 100 days, watchers and observers can tell the story better, of a man so endowed with wisdom and mission.
Set to celebrate 52 years on December 25, the businessman and philanthropist hit the ground running immediately he took the oath of office 100 days ago, and since then, has left no one in doubt as to the calibre of administration he is bringing to the table.
Down to earth, fearless and people oriented, Governor Seyi Makinde policies and pronouncements have set apart as one who knowns his onions. These have no doubt charted a veritable path to immeasurable success within a short space of time. His first step pointed towards security, and he did what most past governors and administrators of Oyo State could not muster enough courage to do – he proscribed the notorious National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). This singular act has brought easy calm to Ibadan and environs.
Makinde has also reviewed the Oyo State of N285 billion as approved by his predecessor to a more realistic N182 billion.
In 100 days, the subject matter expert on fluid and gas metering has established a foundation for an all encompassing four-point agenda for the expansion of the economy through the agriculture value chain, security, health and education.
Among many of his landmark efforts is the partnership with Agritech Company, Farmcrowdy for Agribusiness. He has put measures in place to revive the abandoned grain silo at Awe as well as conducted on the spot assessment of private owned agribusiness Venture-Ajila Farm and Shongai Farms in Port Novo Benin Republic for the purpose of collaborating with local and foreign agribusiness investors.
While he has procured 100 surveillance vehicles worth over N800 million to further strengthen the security agencies across the state, a new security architecture aimed at complementing the efforts of the police and other security operatives in fighting crime in every nook and cranny of Oyo state will soon be launched.
In education, GSM has cancelled all levies paid in public schools in Oyo State thereby reintroducing the free education policies of the Yoruba sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. In addition, he approved the release of over N400 million for the provision of exercise books in all public schools across the state.
In Oyo State today, 25th has practically been deleted on the calendar, and replaced with GSM day. Any civil servant will confidently tell you that is the day his monthly salary is paid. Salaries are now regular, and payment is in full just as Pensioners gratuity is mandatorily paid monthly.
The youths are not left out as they have been massively empowered in his administration. A 32-year-old man is the speaker of the state House of Assembly, while a 27-year-old, Seun Fakorede, was appointed commissioner among others
Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde was born on December 25, 1967. Quite an achiever, Makinde established his first oil and gas private business called Makon Engineering and Technical Services, (METS) at the age of 29 in the year 1997, after earning years of work experience with international oil and gas companies. Until August 2018, he was the Group Managing Director of Makon Group Limited; an indigenous oil and gas company in Nigeria.
Makinde began his education at St Paul Primary School and completed his primary education at St Michael Primary School, Yemetu, Ibadan. His secondary education was at Bishop Phillips Academy, Monatan, Ibadan. In 1985, he gained admission to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
Makinde did his national service (NYSC) with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria, where he was later engaged as a pupil engineer. He served in different capacities; handling and partaking in several key projects between 1990 and 1992. From 1992 to 1997, he worked as a field Engineer (Eket operations) for Rebold International Limited and in 1995, he was appointed as Field Manager in the same company.
In 1998, he trained at Industrial Control Services in Houston, Texas on Safety Shutdown System; and Development of Analytical Competence for Managing Operations at Lagos Business School (now Pan-Atlantic University) in 1999. In 2000, he had training in automation. In 2002, he studied Fundamentals of Crude Sampling at Jiskoot Auto Control Training Centre, Kent, England. Also, in 2005, he studied Understanding and Solving Complex Business Problems at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.
Makinde is a member of national and international professional bodies notably: Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Council for Regulations of Engineering in Nigeria(COREN), Oil and Gas Design Engineers of Nigeria (OGDEN), International Society of Automation (ISA), Institute of Measurement and Control UK; and American Measurement Institute (AMI).
GSM has had his fair share of political fortunes and misfortunes. On two occasions (2007 and 2011), he had unsuccessfully ran for the senatorial seat of Oyo South Senatorial zone
He tried his hands on the governorship pie in 2015 under the Social Democratic Party (SDP), but lost out in the end. Undeterred, he tried again in 2019, and fortune smiled graciously on him. He defeated his APC rival with quite a huge margin
Makinde is happily married and they are blessed with children.
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Equatorial Guinea Files Formal Charges Against Balthasar, Alleges Violations of Ethical, Moral Values
The Government of Equatorial Guinea has filed a lawsuit against Baltasar Ebang Engonga, former Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), over allegations of misconduct involving a sex scandal.
In an official statement, the government gave reasons why Engonga is being prosecuted, describing his actions as “violations of the ethical and moral values of noble Equatorial Guinean society.”
The lawsuit was announced by Jerónimo Osa Osa, Minister of Information, Press, and Culture, who confirmed that the Attorney General’s Office would conduct a comprehensive investigation into the allegations.
According to local news platform Ahora EG, “This decision comes after several videos went viral in which Ebang Engonga is seen having sexual relations with multiple women, some of whom are married.”
The leaked videos, which have sparked outrage, prompted the government to take a stand on what it deems a violation of public morality and family values.
During an address on Friday, the government, through the Public Prosecutor’s Office, tasked with overseeing the case, intends to pursue administrative, civil, and criminal charges against Engonga and any accomplices, reiterated its condemnation of Engonga’s conduct.
The government emphasised the far-reaching impact of the scandal on social and family cohesion, stating, “In light of these serious events, which severely undermine family and social cohesion, and considering the negative impact that this situation has on the good image of our country, tarnishing its reputation, the government, through the Public Prosecutor’s Office, has commenced a thorough investigation to establish responsibilities at the administrative, civil, and criminal levels, given the possibility of a public health impact.”
Meanwhile, the investigation aims to address multiple issues, including the line between personal and public conduct, potential privacy violations, and damages to individuals’ honor and reputation.
The government affirmed its commitment to safeguarding the rights of those affected by the scandal, including the State itself.
Baltasar Engonga has been facing severe backlash after investigators discovered over 400 explicit videos involving him and the wives of prominent national figures.
The scandal surfaced amid a fraud probe into Engonga’s stewardship, leading ANIF officials to search his home and office.
During this search, investigators reportedly uncovered CDs containing the explicit recordings, which have since leaked online, sparking a national outcry and widespread media coverage.
At least N19.43 billion has reportedly been spent on the maintenance and operations of the Presidential Air Fleet from July 2023 to September 2024.
According to GovSpend, a civic tech platform that tracks and analyses the Federal government’s spending, showed that for 2024, the payouts amounted to N13.55billion, representing 66 per cent of the allocations for the fleet in the 2024 fiscal year.
Most disbursements were labeled ‘Forex Transit Funds,’ typically funds allocated for foreign exchange requirements to facilitate international transactions and engagements.
In the context of the Presidential Air Fleet, such funds are used to cover expenses related to operations outside the country, including fuel purchases, maintenance or services in foreign currencies.
“When aircraft on the fleet are abroad, payments are often made in U.S. dollars or another foreign currency to ensure uninterrupted operations,” a government official explained.
In July 2023, N1.52bn was disbursed in two tranches of N846m and N675m for ‘Presidential air fleet forex transit funds.’
The following month, N3.1bn was disbursed in three tranches of N388m, N2bn, and N713m for the same item.
In November of that year, N1.26bn was released to the Presidential Air Fleet Naira transit account.
The first overhead for 2024 came in March, where N1.27bn were disbursed twice, amounting to N2.54bn. The transit account received N6.35bn in April, N4.97bn in May and N210m in July.
August saw the highest frequency of transactions, with N5.60bn released in six separate disbursements.
Although these transactions were not clearly labeled, the monies were paid into the Presidential Air Fleet naira transit account, including the N35m transfer made in September.
In late April, the transit account received N5.08bn; this came around the same time the President was on a two-nation tour to the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.
Although Tinubu arrived in the Netherlands in a state-owned Gulfstream AeroSpace 550 Jet, the aircraft could not proceed to Saudi Arabia due to unspecified technical problems. He reportedly continued his journey on a chartered private plane.
At the time, the President’s Boeing 737 business jet was undergoing maintenance. It was later replaced with an Airbus A330 purchased for $100m in August through service-wide votes.
The nearly 15-year-old plane, an ACJ330-200, VP-CAC (MSN 1053), is “spacious and furnished with state-of-the-art avionics, customised interior and communications system,” Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga said, adding that it “will save Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly.”
The new Airbus A330 is just one of several aircraft currently on the Presidential Air Fleet, arguably one of Africa’s largest, with around 11 aircraft of various makes and models. Until August, it comprised the 19-year-old B737-700 and a 13-year-old Gulfstream Aerospace G550.
The BBJ was acquired during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo at $43m but became a money guzzler as it aged.
Onanuga, defending the purchase of Airbus A330, argued that the new Airbus 330 aircraft and the costs of maintaining the air fleet were not for the president but in the interest of Nigerians.
“It’s not President Tinubu’s plane; it belongs to the people of Nigeria, it is our property…the President did not buy a new jet; what he has is a refurbished jet – it has been used by somebody else before he got it, but it is a much newer model than the one President Buhari used.
“The one President Buhari used was bought by President Obasanjo some 20 years ago. There was a time when the President went to Saudi Arabia, and the plane developed some problems. The President had to leave the Netherlands with a chartered jet.
“Nigerians should try to prioritise the safety of the President. I’m not sure anybody wishes our president to go and crash in the air. We want his safety so that he can hand it over to whoever wants to take over from him,” Onanuga said.
The presidential aide said he discussed with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, on the faulty plane [Boeing 737 jet] and he said the maintenance costs were excessive because of the age of the aircraft, hence the need for another plane.
The presidential fixed-wing fleet includes a Gulfstream G500, two Falcon 7Xs, a Hawker 4000, and a Challenger 605.
Three of the seven fixed-wings are reportedly unserviceable. Meanwhile, the rotor-wing fleet includes two Agusta 139s and two Agusta 101s, all operated by the Nigerian Air Force but supervised by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Former President Buhari promised to reduce the number of aircraft in the PAF to the absolute necessary.
In April 2023, three jets were put up for sale, but there were no specifics on which.
However, efforts to sell one of the Dassault Falcon 7x and the Hawker 4000 in October 2016 stalled when a potential buyer reduced their initial offer from $24m to $11m.
Since 2017, budgetary allocations for the fleet have shown a growing trend, with one exception in 2020.
The allocation for the fleet increased from N4.37bn in 2017 to N20.52bn in 2024, showing a 370 per cent rise in running costs.
In 2018, the fleet’s budget rose significantly by 66.13 per cent to N7.26bn, driven by a substantial increase in capital project allocations while maintaining similar levels for recurrent costs. This upward trajectory continued into 2019, slightly increasing the total allocation to N7.30bn.
The exception came in 2020, when the budget dropped by nearly seven per cent to N6.79bn, primarily due to decreased overhead costs, a reflection of the global economic impacts of lockdowns and disruptions in operations.
By 2021, however, the budget surged dramatically to N12.55bn—a record increase of 84.83 per cent from the previous year.
In 2022, maintenance expenses for each aircraft ranged from $1.5m to $4.5m annually.
The 2022, 2023 and 2024 appropriation acts earmarked N12.48bn, N13.07bn and N20.52bn respectively.
On his way to the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in Samoa, a foreign object damaged the cockpit windscreen of Vice President Kashim Shettima’s GulfStream aircraft during a stopover at JFK Airport in New York.
According to Lee Aerospace, manufacturers of the Gulfstream, jet windshields consist of thick multilayered structures of varying layers of glass and transparent acrylic built to withstand collision with a 2kg object.
However, damage to the windshield must have affected its inner layers. While specific prices for replacement can vary based on supplier, labour rates and regional costs, estimates suggest that a single windshield replacement for a G550 can range from $50,000 to $70,000 for part and labour costs.
In an interview with our correspondent, the General Secretary of the Aviation Round Table, Olumide Ohunayo, blamed the meteoric rise in the allocations for the PAF on the age of some of the aircraft in the fleet and declining value of the naira as well as the “commercial use” of aircraft by the Nigerian Air Force.
Ohunayo said, “The cost will definitely increase over the years because for one, this issue of the naira against the dollar. As the naira keeps falling to the dollar, we will see a rise in cost because most of the costs of training crew and engineers and replacing aircraft parts are all in dollars.
“Also, some of these aircraft are not new. The older the aircraft, the higher the cost of maintenance and operation.
“Lastly, during these past years, terrorism and insecurity have increased in Nigeria, which has also affected the cost of insuring the aircraft.”
For his part, the Executive Chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, argued that the administration’s spending habits were opposite to Nigerians’ expectations of frugality.
“What we are getting from this administration is opposite to our expectation. We thought we would have an administration that would be frugal in spending and very meticulous at implementing its budget.
“But what we are getting is an administration that has fallen in love with profligacy; that doesn’t see anything wrong in living big amid a poverty-stricken nation.
“It is a reenactment of the Shagari administration, whereby they bought the biggest Mercedes Benz and made themselves as comfortable as possible without considering how much the masses are suffering.
“So when you look at a Vice President saying he’s not travelling [to Samoa] again because there was a splinter on the windscreen of his private aircraft. Why should that be the case?
“First and foremost, we need to be represented at such an international meeting, where we should be well represented by the first two citizens of this country.
“He abandoned that, which means we would have lost certain representation that we deserve at that forum. Two, money will have been spent on advance parties that went ahead of the Vice President. But he abandoned the journey altogether.”
Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has announced that he would present the 2025 budget to the Victor Oko-Jombo-led State House of Assembly.
The governor noted that the government would continue to collaborate with the Assembly to improve the lives of Rivers residents, highlighting the positive relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government, as demonstrated in the screening of nominees and the prompt passage of executive bills.
Fubara said this at the official unveiling of two ultra-modern community town halls and the launch of a tertiary scholarship and empowerment programme by the Speaker at Akiama and Aganya communities in Bonny Local Government Area on Saturday.
This was contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi.
Represented by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Edison Ehie, the governor said: “The government and the people of Rivers State heartily congratulate you and thank you for being a good ambassador of the Ibani Kingdom. We assure you that, as the executive arm, while the legislative arm remains independent, we will continue to collaborate to ensure prosperity for our people.
“I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your support to the Rivers State government, as seen in your cooperation. The Speaker has facilitated the screening of caretaker committee chairmen, expedited executive requests, and will soon play a vital role in enacting the 2025 budget.”
Fubara added that the Speaker’s focus on constituency projects reflects his role as an elected representative, contrasting it with the inaction of 25 former lawmakers he described as “Abuja-based politicians.”
He continued: “Constituency projects are a testament to elected representatives’ commitment to their people. Meanwhile, the 25 former Assembly members who dismissed themselves — have they initiated any projects? Do we see them inspecting or commissioning anything? These are Abuja-based politicians!”
The governor commended the Speaker for establishing the town halls, providing financial empowerment to 100 Bonny indigenes, and awarding tertiary scholarships to 30 Bonny students.
In his remarks, the Speaker thanked the people of Bonny for their support for the 10th Assembly and expressed confidence in his backing of the governor.
He stressed that the Assembly would stay focused despite opposition from “enemies of the state” or the 25 former members.
Oko-Jombo revealed that the 2025 budget would soon be presented to the 10th Assembly and confirmed that Bonny Local Government Area would be included in upcoming infrastructure projects.
He added: “We will continue working tirelessly to ensure Bonny Kingdom’s development. Many needs remain, but as the Speaker, I assure you that the 2025 budget, which will soon be presented by His Excellency, will include Bonny Local Government Area.”
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