Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the Leader of pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has challenged former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to explain the source of wealth which he used to acquire several assets in Lagos.
“Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the great philanthropist should also disclose the source of his wealth with which he bankrolled the elections of APC in the South-West and that of General Muhammad Buhari and his various properties in Lagos,” he said on Thursday.
Adebanjo asked Tinubu, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to authorize the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to verify his assets.
He spoke on Thursday in Lagos in reaction to allegation made by former Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, in his autobiography, My Participations, that he brought pressure on Tinubu to build the Lekki house for him.
The house in question is at House Plot 25, Ayo Adebanjo Close, Off Adebayo Doherty Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State.
The Afenifere leader denied the allegation, saying he didn’t get a naira from Tinubu before he became the governor. “What then could he be demanding from me after his two-term governorship to make me pressurize him to build a house for me, when I did not get a naira from him before he became the governor?” Adebanjo asked.
He also gave insight into how he developed his Lekki house. He denied that he pressurized Tinubu for the funding of the Lekki property.
Adebanjo said: “I therefore deny categorically that Tinubu built the Lekki house for me. My house at Lekki was built with my resources through the sale of three developed properties, loan from GTBank and the sale of undeveloped landed property given me by my late leader Chief Obafemi Awolowo of blessed memory.
“The details are as follows: A 4-bedroom duplex with 2-bedroom flat enclosed with 2 undeveloped plots at plot 4, block 14, Nuru Oniwo Street, Aguda Surulere, Lagos State. This is where I was living before moving to Lekki*.
“The house was commissioned in 1972 by Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
“A wing of the duplex was once occupied by a staffer of the security outfit then known as “special branch” headed then by the late Alhaji M.D. Yussuf who later became Inspector-General of Police when General Olusegun Obasanjo was the Head of State.
“It was later occupied by one of the wives of Chief Pius Akinyelure, who often visit his wife there in company of Senator Bola Tinubu.
“The gate of this property was forced open by Abacha security forces when NADECO was holding a send-off party for American ambassador Walter Carrington in my house. I took the Federal Government to court for damages and I was awarded N1million which has not been paid till today by the Federal Government, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN, was my counsel.
“The house was sold to St Baths Anglican Church, Aguda, Surulere.
“On the two storey building at Odedola Street, Surulere, Lagos State.
“I bought it through an Estate Agent by name Mr. Shiwoniku who has relocated to UK, he has a brother who is a legal practitioner in Abuja.
“The house was sold to a Ghanaian by name Mr Akappo. He is still alive and he lives in one of the flat in the building.
“On four storey building with a warehouse on the ground floor and six flats on top. It was commissioned by Chief Awolowo in 1977.
*I inherited the plot of 45’X100’ from my mother Salamotu Anomo-Adebanjo, who built a bungalow on it.
“She bought the land when I was in primary school in 1940 from one Pa. Idowu Onitiri for £20, which she paid by installment of £10, £7, £3. His son Akanbi Onitiri executed the conveyance for me without extra payment after showing him the purchase receipts from his father, when I was developing it in 1976. Akanbi Onitiri is the father of Sumbo Onitiri, a well known estate surveyor in Lagos.
“The building was sold to a woman through an estate agent.
“I then took a loan from GTBank to complete the house in Lekki where I am living now.
“When the interest on the loan became unbearable, I was compelled to sell the undeveloped land given to me by Chief Awolowo in Dideolu Estate in Maroko Victoria Island. One Mr. Ade Otusanya a friend of my son Femi Ayo-Adebanjo bought the land.”
However, Adebanjo alleged that Tinubu was instrumental to the building of Akande’s houses in Ila-Orogun and acquisition of some properties in Lagos.
“It is alleged that Chief Bisi Akande’s building at Ila-Orogun, which I understand is more than double in expanse of my house in Lekki and some other properties he has in Lagos and abroad were financed by Bola Tinubu. His house in Ibadan was also alleged to have been built by the contractor that built the secretariat in Osogbo, when he was the Governor of Osun State.
“I hereby challenge Chief Bisi Akande to clear the air by disclosing the source of financing these properties as I have done above.
“He should also authorize the EFCC to verify such details as I have done above,” the Afenifere leader stated.
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