IKOYI HIGH-RISE COLLAPSE: VP Osibanjo Linked To Property, Condoles, Debunks Report.

"Despicable Lies In Sponsored Online Report".… Says Laolu Akande

"VP has no interest whatsoever in said property". 

"All his property, assets already publicly declared". 

"This impunity and disregard to law and order must be resisted and as such, we call on the Lagos State Government to immediately, investigate, reveal the identity and commence prosecution of the owner of the collapsed property which has resulted to the loss of lives".... Concerned Lagos Residents.

Following insinuations and allegations making the rounds in the social media space linking Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, SAN, to the ownership of the collapsed 21 Storey Building in Ikoyi, Lagos State, his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Laolu Akande has come out with a rebuttal, that has been received as watery and of no substance.

According to the rebuttal by Laolu Akande, who is a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, "the 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: 

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. 

"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. 

However, many critics of government insist that the Vice President, a man known for his fearlessness and bravado on issues like this, needs to do more to extricate his name from the ownership of the collapsed structure as they have deacribed the rebuttal as "too watery and lacking in substance".

A resident of Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, Comrade Wasiu Aderinto while speaking to select journalists on Friday in Ikoyi, urged the VP to do more than mere rebuttal of this allegations pertaining to his ownership of the property on 44, Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

He expressed concerns as to why, having gotten an approval to construct a "15 Floor High Rise Building", on the said plot of land, the developer would how head to raise the structure with another six floors?

"The impunity and audacity to go against the laws of the Lagos State government could only be done by someone high up in office", Comrade Aderinto stated. 

"We wonder why the Sanwo-olu adminstration is yet to make any categorical statement on the ownership of the Plot 44, Gerrard Road, Ikoyi Lagos".

"This impunity and disregard to law and order must be resisted and as such, we call on the Lagos State Government to immediately, investigate, reveal the identity and commence prosecution of the owner of the collapsed property which has resulted to the loss of lives".

"We also call on Mr. Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo SAN, to go the extra length to explain whatever links he has to the property or otherwise as, we are equally aware that many public office holders own properties in proxy and this could not be an exception".

"We therefore, demand that the Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo SAN, does the needful as, not only would it shameful to later be identified and linked to the ownership of the collapsed structure, it will also smear the good name and reputation he has built over the years, as a forthright and God-fearing person".

"Should this advisory be ignored, we, as concerned residents of Lagos State, commence an independently sponsored investigation to reveal the true identity of the owner of the collapsed structure".

Others who spoke to journalists, appealed to the Lagos state government to expose the person(s) behind the ownership of the collapsed structure saying that, there is no way, the ownership of a property of such magnitude would not be known.

The concerned residents expressed their worries as to why the State Government has remained silent and, refusing to reveal the true identity of the owners of the collapsed Ikoyi structure. The government knows what is happening but is deliberately, maintaining its silence pending when they can provide a good cover for the owner, knowing the damage such an expose could do, especially in these political climate.