The Ekiti State Government has dismissed reports claiming it is constructing a new Governor’s Lodge in Abuja for Governor Biodun Oyebanji and his deputy, Monisade Afuye, at a cost of ₦1.8 billion.
Gatekeepers News reports that an online publication had alleged that the state released and spent ₦470 million on the supposed project.
However, in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti, the Special Adviser on Information and Value Orientation, Mr. Taiwo Olatunbosun, described the report as false, misleading, and deliberately crafted to misinform the public.
“Contrary to claims in the publication, the budgetary provision does not relate to the construction of a new building, but to the completion of the existing Abuja Governor’s Lodge, an ongoing project inherited from the immediate past administration of Dr. Kayode Fayemi,” Olatunbosun clarified.
He explained that the project had been awarded before Governor Oyebanji assumed office but could not be completed earlier due to limited budgetary allocations.
“In line with the present administration’s commitment to continuity and fiscal responsibility, provision was made in the 2025 budget to ensure the completion of this inherited project, which happens to be the only one yet to be concluded among those handed over by the last administration,” he added.
Olatunbosun described as “deceptive and inciting” the claim that the structure was a new personal residence for the governor and his deputy, stressing that it is officially designated as the Ekiti State Governor and Deputy Governor’s Lodge—a permanent state property meant for successive administrations.
He further revealed that Governor Oyebanji has continued to stay in rented accommodation whenever he visits Abuja.
“If personal comfort had been his priority, he would have completed the project within his first year in office. The fact that this has not been the case underscores the governor’s modesty, prudence, and focus on the welfare and development of Ekiti people above personal convenience,” he stated.
Olatunbosun reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and prudent use of public funds, adding that the completion of inherited projects is intended to ensure value for money and prevent waste from abandonment.
