The Senator who represented Ondo Central Senatorial District, Senator (Dr.) Ayo Akinyelure, FCA, has broken his silence over the controversy surrounding the Owena-Alade Idanre road project, calling on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the project and establish what happened to the funds reportedly allocated for its execution.

Akinyelure, who represented Ondo Central in the 7th and 9th Senates, spoke shortly after returning to Akure, the Ondo State capital, to commence his campaign for the 2027 senatorial election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The former lawmaker said his involvement in the project was limited to facilitating the inclusion of N400 million for the road in the 2023 Appropriation Act before he left the Senate on June 11, 2023.

According to him, the budgetary provision he facilitated could not be construed as evidence of his involvement in the eventual award, execution or payment for the project, noting that projects captured in the 2023 budget could have been awarded by Federal Ministry of Works officials after due process of contract award must have been followed in line with procurement Act in the 3rd quarter of 2023, when he had left office on 11th June, 2023

Akinyelure explained that the circumstances surrounding the non-execution of the road project requires an independent investigation rather than accusations against individuals, urging the ICPC to establish the facts by inviting all relevant officials of Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and the contractor, H.K.Flamingo Limited.

He called on the commission to probe the matter in response to Petition Submitted to ICPC by Senator Ayo Akinyelure since 15th January, 2026 and sent to Hon Festus Akingbaso and Sen Adegbonmire for follow up with ICPC as current representatives of the people of Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency and Ondo Central Senatorial District respectively.

He said, “A petition to ICPC will get the issue resolved. Whatever a senator puts in the 2023 budget gets awarded in 2024, meaning that I had left the Senate before the project was awarded to the construction company that handled it.

“To get a solution to the Owena-Alade Idanre road project, we must demand for ICPC investigation report to know when the road was awarded, when payment was made to the contractor, know the officials of the ministry that sign the Certificate of Completion of the road to enable us know the fraud perpetrated against Idanre Community and prosecute the perpetrators of the fraud through EFCC without any further delay.

He also called for relevant officials of the Federal Ministry of Works to be questioned, including the Director of Works, Director of Finance and the Controller of Works in Akure.

According to him, the procedure for certifying a federal road project as completed involves the relevant field authorities, stressing that such documentation should form part of any investigation into the Idanre-Owena road controversy.

“Before the Federal Ministry of Works can release money, the state Controller of Works must have issued a letter that the job has been fully completed. This is called issuance of certificate of completion,” he said.

The two-term former lawmaker maintained that the relevant records and officials were still available in the Ministry of Works and should therefore, be invited by any of our representatives using Section 88 and 89 for the officials to provide the information needed to resolve the controversy

“The people involved are still alive and I have been asking the current representative to approach them and get to the root of the matter through their offices. If anybody shouts my name from here to London, I have delivered on my mandate as a senator to facilitate the inclusion of the road in federal budget of 2023 unencumbered.

“Senators don’t award contracts on projects included in Budget, I don’t know the contractor, I am completely innocent of all wrong allegations of social media commentators who lack knowledge of how Government projects are being handled in line with procurement act. I declared without any further equivocation.”

The controversy over the road has continued to attract public concern, particularly among residents of Idanre who have expressed dissatisfaction with its condition despite reports that the project had been captured as completed in official records.

Akinyelure however disclosed that, if elected to the Senate in 2027, he would make the road project one of the first issues he would seek to investigate through the National Assembly.

“If I contest this election and win, my first public hearing in the Senate will be on the Owena-Idanre road, if it has not been resolved before then. I will invite the ICPC chairman to face my Senate committee and make its report open to the public. As many that are involved in the mismanagement of fund meant for the project shall be prosecuted and be brought to book after being found guilty by Judiciary arm of Government or be made to pay back the funds for reconstruction of the road in question.

“I’m contesting the senatorial election to represent Ondo Central in the 11th Senate and by Gods grace, I’m going to win. Idanre people are clamouring for the truth and I’m challenging the ICPC chairman to dig deep into the investigation to unravel the truth. Those who stole the money must be brought to book,” he said.

He also addressed his record in office, saying his campaign would focus on his achievements rather than attacks against political opponents.

“Throughout my two terms in the Senate of 7th and 9th National Assembly, I worked and delivered on my mandate as Federal Legislator loaded with experience to add value to Ondo Central and Nigeria as a whole. I’m coming to campaign on my record of achievements and it will be an issue based campaign.

” I have facilitated employment opportunities for more than 750 graduates during my tenure and have executed projects across the six local government areas that make up the senatorial district. All these projects are physical and can be verified. These achievements will be documented in my 8 years stewardship report to be used for my campaign.

“Let other contestants also come up with their stewardship reports for comparison by the electorates of Ondo Central to make a choice. Our prayers is for people’s vote to count in a peaceful election to be organised in Ondo State by INEC particularly in Ondo Central Senatorial district

I’m not going to mention names but I will explain to Ondo Central people my achievements in the Senate. My footprints are everywhere across the senatorial district.

“I call on ICPC chairman therefore, to swing into action on my petition to his office on Owena-Alade Road controversy We want to know the truth without any further delay,” Akinyelure concluded.