Osinbajo: I neither own collapsed building land nor bought any from Ade.Ojo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has reacted to a report that he bought a piece of land where the collapsed Ikoyi high-rise building was built from Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, founder of Elizade Nigeria Limited, saying it is not true.

He said he neither owned the land nor bought any land from Ade-Ojo.

SaharaReporters, in a report, had linked Vice President Osinbajo to the Ikoyi collapsed building which had killed about 40 persons, including the developer, Femi Osibona, with a yet-to-be-ascertained number of persons still trapped beneath the rubble.

But Osinbajo, in a statement signed by Laolu Akande, his media aide, stated, “The attention of the Vice President has been drawn to an obviously sponsored falsehood regarding the recently collapsed building published by SaharaReporters on November 4th, 2021, to the effect that:

1. The VP owns the land upon which the collapsed building in Ikoyi stood.
2. That the said land was sold to him by Chief Michael Ade. Ojo, Chairman of Elizade Motors; and
3. 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. Also, the Vice President 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.”

The statement added that the VP had referred mater to his lawyers for an immediate legal action.