A civic group under the banner of the Concerned Sons and Daughters of Ondo State Initiative has petitioned the Ondo State House of Assembly, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), calling for a full investigation into the academic credentials and financial management practices of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.
In a petition dated October 17, 2025, and signed by the group’s National Coordinator, Akinrinsola Adetokunbo, the organisation accused the governor of alleged discrepancies in his declared educational qualifications and raised concerns over the handling of public funds and allocations to local governments in the state.
According to the petition, the group claimed that Governor Aiyedatiwa’s publicly stated academic background includes an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Ibadan (2001), studies at Lagos Business School, a Postgraduate Certification in Business Management, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom, obtained in 2013.
However, the petitioners alleged that preliminary findings and independent checks revealed no verifiable record of an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration at the University of Ibadan in 2001, no official confirmation from Lagos Business School regarding attendance, and no confirmation from the University of Liverpool about the issuance of the said MBA degree.
“These inconsistencies raise serious concerns about possible misrepresentation in the governor’s public declarations,” the group stated, adding that such could amount to a violation of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act as well as relevant sections of the Criminal Code Act dealing with forgery and false statements.
On financial management, the group alleged irregularities in the disbursement of Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds to local governments between January and September 2025. They claimed that despite the state receiving over N109 billion during the period, local governments reportedly receive as little as N4 million monthly, despite FAAC records showing monthly inflows averaging between N10 and N12 billion.
“This wide disparity calls for a forensic audit to ensure compliance with constitutional provisions mandating direct remittance to local governments,” the petition stated.
The group urged the Ondo State House of Assembly to convene a public oversight hearing to compel the governor, the commissioner for finance, and the accountant-general to provide FAAC receipts, bank statements, and reconciliation reports for the period under review. They also requested that the assembly’s public accounts committee investigate the utilisation of allocations and confirm the authenticity of the governor’s academic records.
Similarly, they asked the ICPC to conduct a forensic audit of the state’s financial records and investigate potential diversion or misuse of public funds. The Code of Conduct Bureau was also urged to review the governor’s asset declaration forms and verify the submitted educational credentials with the relevant institutions.
Concluding, the group called for urgent and transparent action by all concerned agencies to protect the integrity of public service in Ondo State.
“Failure to address these matters transparently risks further erosion of public trust and continued hardship for citizens whose taxes and allocations fund the state,” the petition read.
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