The founder of Elizade Motors and Elizade University, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, has said that he didn’t sell the land of the collapsed Ikoyi building to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

He said this in a statement he personally signed in reaction to an online report alleging that the land of the collapsed building was sold by him.

He, however, stated that the property adjacent to the collapsed building is owned by him and that he’s not willing to sell it.

Ade-Ojo’s statement read, “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.”

Also, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has expressed sadness over the collapsed Gerrard Road, Ikoyi building and simultaneously debunked ‘despicable’ lies about his ties.

He condoled with the families and relatives of all those who have died, were injured, or were affected in the collapse.

Prof. Osinbajo considered this painful loss of lives a horrible tragedy.

Also, the Vice President has debunked the obviously sponsored falsehood by Sahara Reporters 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.

Let it be made absolutely clear that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo does not own and has never owned the said land, his media aide, Laolu Akande stated.

“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.

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.

“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’, Akande said.

“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.

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.