From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, has again denied allegations that land has been allocated to the children of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesome Wike reaffirming that the claims are unfounded, politically motivated and pure blackmail.
In a statement issued on Tuesday he dismissed reports as “sponsored blackmail” that have failed to hold any truth.
He said, “As usual, this sponsored blackmail has failed. Those seeking to blackmail the FCT Minister will need to put more efforts. Nothing will stop him from continuing with his developmental efforts in the FCT in accordance with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.”
Olayinka addressed the specific allegations made last week that the Minister had allocated 2,082 hectares of land in the prestigious Asokoro and Maitama districts to one of his sons. He clarified that no such land is available in these districts and that the claim was based on a misinterpreted document related to land allocated to JOAQ Farms in the Bwari Area Council.
“This week, it is tales of allocation of land to another son of the Minister because documents showed allocation of lands to a company, Jordan Farms,” he added, emphasising that the Minister’s children have not received any land allocations.
He further explained, “No doubt, land was duly allocated to Jordan Farms and Estates Limited, a company duly registered in Nigeria, with none of the children of the FCT Minister as director of the company. That one of the sons of the FCT Minister is Jordan and there is a company, Jordan Farms and Estates Limited is no reason anyone should conclude that the company belongs to Wike’s son.”
Olayinka challenged the purveyors of the false stories to publish the actual owners of the company, noting that ownership records are publicly available at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
He also addressed attempts to link the Minister’s security aides to property ownership, stating, “If I choose to assist my friend, associate or relative to collect property documents, does that confer ownership of the property on me?”
Concluding his statement, Olayinka urged critics, particularly from Adamawa State, to intensify their efforts if they wish to discredit the Minister’s support for power rotation between Nigeria’s Northern and Southern regions, warning that these attacks have failed “even before their commencement.”