Wike’s aide denies report alleging minister allocated land to son

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed a viral report alleging that the minister allocated 2,082 hectares of land in Maitama and Asokoro to one of his sons.

Olayinka, in a statement issued on Thursday, described the claim as completely false, branding it “a tissue of lies” and the handiwork of individuals out to tarnish the image of the former Rivers State governor.

“There is no truth whatsoever in that report. Not even a single plot has been allocated to any of the minister’s children,” he said. “In today’s Asokoro and Maitama, where exactly would anyone find 2,082 hectares to give out?”

He challenged those behind the story to provide concrete evidence of any land allocation linked to the minister’s children, insisting that the entire narrative was fabricated to mislead the public.

Addressing a portion of the report that referenced land allocated to JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited, Olayinka clarified that the land in question is located in Bwari Area Council and was allocated strictly for agricultural use. He explained that the company is a fully registered Nigerian business with the appropriate legal standing.

“What exactly is wrong with a legitimate farmer receiving land for agriculture?” he asked, adding that the move was in line with the FCT’s policy to boost food production and job creation.

While noting that any Nigerian, including the minister or members of his family, has the right to own land if due process is followed, Olayinka stressed that no land had been allocated to Wike’s children.

“The report should be disregarded in its entirety. It is false, misleading, and has no basis in fact,” he concluded.