The vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo on Friday threatened to sue Sahara Reporters over a publication linking him to ownership of the land on which a 21-storey building under construction on Gerrard Road in the Ikoyi area of Lagos collapsed on Monday, November 2.
Osinbajo, in a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Laolu Akande said he “has referred this disgraceful publication to his lawyers for prompt legal action.”
Osinbajo, who stated categorically that he “has no interest whatsoever in the said property,” however condoled with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the unfortunate incident.
“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 were affected in the collapse. Prof. Osinbajo considers this painful loss of lives a horrible tragedy,” said Akande.
The vice president’s spokesman thereafter stated that his principal had publicly declared all his property and assets already
“The attention of the vice president has been drawn to an obviously sponsored falsehood regarding the recently collapsed building… on November 4th, 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.
Akande said Osinbajo does not own and has never owned the said land adding that “he (Osinbajo) has also never been involved, in any shape or form, in the development of this or any other land since he became vice president.”
He also said “at no time whatsoever did the vice president 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.
“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 dangerous desperation, as well as the heartlessness of the perpetrators of such despicable lies.”
Akande said the report linking his principal to the property was “typical of a hatchet job and deliberately irresponsible journalism” as “the publication was not signed by anyone.”
He added: “The vice president has referred this disgraceful publication to his lawyers for prompt legal action.”
