Former Rivers State governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has denied reports that he allocated 2,082 hectares of lands in the Maitama and Asokoro areas of Abuja to one of his son, describing the claim as completely false and malicious orchestration by “quack journalists.”
An online platform had on Thursday, published an exclusive story claiming that Wike had secretly allocated 2,082 hectares of land in the highbrow Asokoro and Maitama which are regarded as two of Abuja’s most exclusive districts, to his son.
In the story which was picked and escalated by various media outfits, the publication cited a Right of Occupancy allegedly issued in the name of JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited, a company which it alleged was linked to the Wike family.
The publication added that the allocated land which was officially meant for agricultural purposes, was being used as a front for personal gain by the minister through his son.
But while reacting to the report, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, described it as “another falsehood from the vault of those whose main job is to malign the FCT minister.”
In a statement on Thursday evening, Olayinka who described the claim as baseless and malicious, said the minister did not allocate a single plot of land to any of his children.
The minister’s aide also dismissed the allegations, saying they were the handiwork of “quack journalists, who lacked basic training in journalism.”
“My attention has been drawn to yet another malicious falsehood coming from the same elements whose job is to defame and malign the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike,” Olayinka said.
“Even though it is the right of the minister and members of his family, both immediate and extended, to own lands anywhere in Nigeria, including the FCT, provided all necessary conditions are met, no land has been allocated to any of his children.
“In the publication, a Right of Occupancy (R-of-O) issued to JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited for agricultural purposes was the only evidence used to justify the claim.
“For the avoidance of doubt, JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited, a company duly registered in Nigeria, got land allocation in Bwari Area Council for farming.
“So what’s wrong with a farmer getting land allocation strictly for agriculture?
“In Asokoro and Maitama of today, where can the FCT minister see 2,082 hectares of land to allocate to anyone?
“Only quack journalists will go to town with the story of allocation of 2,082 hectares of land in Asokoro and Maitama, the reason some of us have continually advocated for professionalism in journalism.
“The entire publication is false and should be disregarded,” Olayinka emphasized.
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