Linking me with collapsed Lagos building vicious, wicked, says Osinbajo
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday rejected social media reports conferring on him ownership of the 21-storey building that collapsed at Ikoyi,Lagos on Monday.
He denounced the reports as vicious,wicked and heartless.
Osinbajo in a statement through his spokesman Laolu Akande, described the building collapse as a horrible tragedy.
He expressed sympathies with the bereaved families and the injured.
He dismissed as obviously sponsored falsehood a social media report that he owned the ill-fated structure.
Akande said:”Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, is saddened by the events that occurred in Lagos on Monday, 1st of November 2021, where a high-rise building under construction on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, collapsed. He condoles with the families and relatives of all those who have died, were injured or affected in the collapse. Prof. Osinbajo considers this painful loss of lives a horrible tragedy.
“Also, the attention of the Vice President has been drawn to an obviously sponsored falsehood regarding the recently collapsed building published by Sahara Reporters on November 4th, 2021, to the effect that:
“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.
“Sahara Reporters were undoubtedly well rewarded for their criminal and inhumane conduct. Typical of a hatchet job and deliberately irresponsible journalism, the publication was not signed by anyone.
“The Vice President has referred this disgraceful publication to his lawyers for prompt legal action.”
Eminent businessman, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo,who was named in the social media report as having sold the land on which the collapsed structure was built, had earlier on Thursday also denied ever owning the land or selling it to Osinbajo.
He said: “It has come to my attention that a publication by the online news website, Sahara Reporters is in circulation, claiming that I owned the land on which the high-rise building in Ikoyi that collapsed earlier this week was built.
“The story titled ‘Photo Proof: Osinbajo bought the Ikoyi collapsed building’ published on November 4, 2021, also claimed that I sold the land to the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo shortly after he became vice president.
“Both claims are outright falsehoods. I hereby state that I do not own and never held title to the said property.
“In addition, I did not sell any property to the vice president at any time whatsoever.
“To be clear, I own a property next to the said building, which I have not sold and do not intend to sell to anyone.”
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