The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the removal of the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Omowumi Isaac, over alleged budget padding in the 2025 Appropriation Bill.
However, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed the allegations, accusing the PDP of lacking a proper understanding of the budgeting process.
Isaac and the Attorney General, Mr. Kayode Ajulo, are the only commissioners left in Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s cabinet following the recent dismissal of other members ahead of his administration’s inauguration on February 24, 2025.
In a statement, PDP Publicity Secretary Kennedy Peretei accused Isaac of abusing her office.
“The 2025 Appropriation Act contains scandalous provisions under the Finance Ministry, sparking public outrage in the last two weeks,” Peretei stated.
He criticized the government’s silence, interpreting it as complicity in the alleged budget padding.
“The N11.5bn security vote in the Finance Ministry remains unexplained despite public outcry. Another questionable item is the N250m allocated for honorarium and sitting allowances. Most shocking is the procurement of a Toyota Prado SUV for the commissioner at N230m,” Peretei alleged.
He also questioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) silence after initially stepping into the matter.
In response, APC’s Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Steve Otaloro, dismissed the allegations as baseless.
“The PDP’s claims are not only misleading but also show a lack of understanding of budgetary procedures,” he said.
Otaloro clarified that the budget is prepared solely by the Ministry of Budget and Planning, not the Finance Ministry.
“Mrs. Isaac has no role in budget formulation, and any claims of budget padding against her are entirely false,” he stated.
The APC further defended the allocations, arguing that the security vote and honorarium were legitimate expenses aimed at improving governance and public safety.
“The budget details are publicly available for scrutiny,” Otaloro added.
