A former Minister of Power and Steel, Elder Wole Oyelese, has challenged Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to account for funds accruing to the state’s 33 local government areas over the past seven years, saying accountability should not be demanded from the Federal Government alone.

Oyelese, who until recently was co-chairman of the Oyo State Elders’ Council and is convener of the Oyo State Grassroots Financial Accountability Initiative, urged the governor to publish a comprehensive breakdown of local government allocations, receipts, deductions and expenditure.

He said the state government should disclose the amounts allocated to each local government monthly, the sums actually received, any deductions or transfers made, the legal basis for such transactions and the projects executed with the funds.

Oyelese also called for the publication of relevant bank records and audited accounts to enable residents to assess how local government resources had been managed.

According to him, demands for the Federal Government to settle monies allegedly owed to Oyo State should be matched by transparency over funds meant for the state’s local governments.

He argued that public accountability should apply at every level of government, adding that residents deserved clear information on the management of public resources.

The former minister’s demand also came against the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s July 2024 judgment on local government financial autonomy, which reinforced the constitutional position on direct allocation of funds to local governments.

Oyelese called on the Makinde administration to provide a detailed account covering the seven-year period, including explanations for any deductions or transfers from local government funds.

He maintained that publishing the records would help clarify the financial relationship between the state government and the 33 local government councils and allow the public to scrutinise the use of the funds.