Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has dissociated himself from reports linking him to the ill-fated uncompleted high-rise building that collapsed in the Lekki area of Lagos State on Monday.
WuzupNigeria reported that no fewer than 40 lives have been lost to the incident, including the said owner, the late boss of Fourscore New Heights, Femi Osibona, while nine others have been rescued by emergency rescue workers.
Recall that Sahara Reporters published a report claiming that Osinbajo purchased the land upon which the collapsed building stood from Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, founder of Elizade Motors (Elizade Nigeria Limited) shortly after he became the Vice President.
Although Chief Ade-Ojo had since debunked the claims he sold the property to the VP, Osinbajo, through his media aide, Laolu Akande, described as falsehood the additional claim by Sahara Reporters that Oinbajo, "at some point, intervened with the regulatory authorities in Lagos State to unseal the said property."
Reacting in the statement released on Friday, Osinbajo denied all allegations put out by the publication, claiming it was sponsored.
"Saddened by the events that occurred in Lagos on Monday, 1st of November 2021... on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi," Osinbajo described the event as a horrible tragedy."
He also consoled "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."
Reacting to the allegations by Sahara Reporters, the statement said, "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, 202.
"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."
