The Oyo State Government has dismissed as false a report by an online media outlet alleging that the state spent N683.7 million to purchase two vehicles, a 2004 Toyota Camry and a 10-seater Toyota Hiace bus.

The government said the amount cited in the report was budgeted for a publicity programme and not the procurement of the two vehicles.

The Special Adviser on Media to Governor Seyi Makinde, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, stated this in a press release issued on Wednesday, September 16, describing the publication as a misrepresentation of official financial records.

According to him, the N683.7 million figure appeared under the budget line titled “Advertisement and Publicity Awareness for the Public.”

He explained that the amount covered several activities and components of the programme, adding that the vehicles mentioned in the report were only part of its logistics.

“The N683.7m figure is not a vehicle procurement cost,” Olanrewaju said.

“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 N683m.”

The government also faulted the headline of the publication, arguing that it was inconsistent with the contents of the audited financial statement cited by the medium.

Olanrewaju noted that the report itself acknowledged that the document did not provide a breakdown of the amounts spent on the Toyota Camry and Hiace bus.

He quoted the publication as admitting that it “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.”

He added that despite these acknowledgements, the medium published a headline suggesting that the entire N683.7 million was spent on the two vehicles.

The government further cited other vehicle procurement figures contained in the same financial statement to support its position.

According to the release, the audited statement listed a 30-seater Toyota Coaster, 2015 model, at N140 million; a 2021 Toyota Hiace Hummer bus at N156.95 million; and Toyota Corolla vehicles, 2019/2020 models, at N28.98 million and N50.71 million.

The government argued that the figures contradicted the allegation that N683.7 million was spent on a 2004 Toyota Camry and a 10-seater Hiace bus.

“It is therefore illogical to suggest that the state paid N683m for a 2004 Camry and a 10-seater Hiace,” the statement said.

Olanrewaju maintained that no line item in the audited financial statement supported the claim that the state spent the amount on the two vehicles.

“The Sahara Reporters’ headline is a distortion built on assumption rather than evidence,” he said.

He urged media organisations to exercise caution when interpreting public financial records, stressing that the public deserved accurate information, “not sensationalism.”

The government said the Makinde administration remained committed to transparency, accountability and responsible financial management.

It added that its audited financial statements were publicly available and prepared in accordance with statutory requirements.

“We welcome scrutiny, but such scrutiny must be grounded in facts,” Olanrewaju said.

He urged media organisations to uphold professional standards and avoid what he described as the misrepresentation of government documents.

The government concluded that the allegation was “false, misleading, and inconsistent with the financial records cited.”