Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, founder of Elizade Group of companies has denied being the owner of the property on which the 21 storey building that collapsed in Victoria Island, Lagos killing several people was built.
The business magnate, in a personally signed statement, also dismissed as untrue the news story which said he sold the land to Professor Yemi Osinbajo shortly after he became Nigeria’s Vice President.
While insisting that the land on which the high rise building was being erected before it collapsed was not his as reported, he, however, said that he owns a property next to the said building which he has not sold to anybody and which he did not have any intention of selling.
Full text of the statement reads:
STATEMENT BY CHIEF MICHAEL ADE OJO IN RESPONSE TO SAHARA REPORTERS FALSE NEWS PUBLICATION
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 land to the Vice President at anytime 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.
Chief Michael Ade. Ojo
4th November 2021