Following a recent article by an online news platform, Sahara Reporters, linking Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to the Ikoyi high-rise building which collapsed in the Ikoyi area of Lagos on November 1, 2021, the Vice President has debunked the claims and referred the publication to his lawyers for legal action.
This is as he condoled with the families of those affected by the mishap.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, disclosed this on Friday in a statement titled, ‘Ikoyi high-rise building collapse: Osinbajo saddened, condoles with affected families, debunks despicable lies in sponsored online report’.
Akande revealed that Osinbajo is saddened by the events that occurred in Lagos on Monday, November 1, 2021, where a high-rise building under construction on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, collapsed.
He said the Vice President extended his condolence to the families and relatives of the deceased and those injured or affected in one way or the other as a result of the incident.
The statement also disclosed that the attention of the Vice President had been drawn to “an obviously sponsored falsehood regarding the recently collapsed building published by Sahara Reporters on November 4, 2021, to the effect that:
“The VP owns the land upon which the collapsed building in Ikoyi stood. That the said land was sold to him by Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, Chairman of Elizade Motors; and that the Vice President, at some point, intervened with the regulatory authorities in Lagos State to unseal the said property.
“Let it be made absolutely clear that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo does not own and has never owned the said land. He has also never been involved, in any shape or form, in the development of this or any other land since he became Vice President.
At no time whatsoever did the VP buy this or any other piece of land from Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, or entered into any transaction for the sale of that land or any other piece of land from Chief Ade-Ojo or anyone for that matter. All property and assets owned by the Vice President have been publicly declared.
The media aide also said that Osinbajo has never spoken to the Governor of Lagos State or any other official of the State Government regarding the unsealing of the said building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, which subsequently collapsed.
“He has, indeed, never acted to influence any other regulatory action on the collapsed building, or any other building for that matter, in Lagos State. The Vice President restates categorically that he has no interest whatsoever, and has never had any interest, either legally or beneficially, in the land, the building or development.
“The wickedness and viciousness of a lie that seeks to utilise a tragedy where so many people have lost their lives, even as rescue efforts are ongoing, and in wanton disregard to the feelings and untold grief of their loved ones for political gain, reveals a dangerous desperation, as well as the heartlessness of the perpetrators of such despicable lies,” Akande revealed.
PUNCH.
