Governor Makinde says he allowed the late politician to be buried at his residence even though it’s against the established land use rule in Oyo State.
Governor Seyi Makinde says his administration has nothing to do with the delay in the burial of his predecessor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
Ajimobi died on Thursday, June 25, 2020, and was buried on Sunday, June 28, 2020. According to Islamic burial rites, he was supposed to have been buried hours after his death.
The source, who spoke to ThePunch said since Ajimobi’s death was announced on Thursday, Governor Seyi Makinde has not called any member of the family either by phone or made any physical contact.
Reacting to the allegation, Oyo State Government in a statement by Taiwo Adisa, the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor on Saturday, said it is not responsible for the delayed burial.
Taiwo said the family of the deceased had sought approval to bury Ajimobi on a plot of land at Agodi GRA, but the request was denied because the land was under litigation.
He added that Governor Seyi Makinde allowed the late former governor to be buried at his Oluyole Estate residence, even though it’s against the established land use rule in Oyo State.
The statement reads, “In view of the intense enquiries from news media organisations regarding the perceived delay in burying the late former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the Oyo State Government wishes to place on record that there is no truth in the rumour making the rounds that the burial is being delayed by the state government,” he said.
“The rumour, which is being deliberately spread to give the state government a bad name and to play undue politics with the dead, initially came by the way of social media gossip, which gained traction to attract the attention of traditional media outfits.
“Several media outfits reached out to the Media Office of the Governor of Oyo State to make enquiries on this barefaced lie on Saturday.
“Let it be stated clearly that the Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has played no role at all in causing any delay whatsoever regarding the burial of his immediate predecessor, Senator Ajimobi.