The Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lere Olayinka, has firmly denied reports suggesting that land has been allocated to the children of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday, Olayinka described the allegations as failed attempts at blackmail and propaganda orchestrated by those uncomfortable with the Minister’s commitment to developing the FCT under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Olayinka referenced recent claims circulating in the media that Wike had allocated 2,082 hectares of land in the upscale districts of Asokoro and Maitama to one of his sons. He dismissed the report as not only baseless but also factually inaccurate, noting that the amount of land in question does not even exist in those combined districts. According to him, the document used to support the false narrative pertained to a legitimate farming land allocation in Bwari Area Council granted to a company named JOAQ Farms.
He added that this week’s allegations similarly claim land was given to another of Wike’s sons, citing the allocation of land to a company named Jordan Farms. Olayinka clarified that while the company—Jordan Farms and Estates Limited—is legally registered in Nigeria and has been duly allocated land, none of Wike’s children are listed as directors or owners of the company.
“Just because one of the Minister’s sons bears the name Jordan does not mean he is connected to Jordan Farms and Estates Limited,” Olayinka stated. “Ownership records are readily available at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and we challenge anyone making these claims to produce evidence showing Wike’s son is involved.”
He drew comparisons to illustrate the absurdity of the claims: “My name is Lere Olayinka, and there is a Lere Local Government Area in Kaduna State. Does that mean I own the local government or am even from there? There are several companies bearing the name ‘Jordan’ in Nigeria and abroad, including Jordan Telecommunications and Jordan Foods. Are they all owned by Wike’s son?”
Responding to allegations involving a document signed by one of Wike’s security aides in connection to another company, Hyper Communications Limited, Olayinka clarified that such signatures do not imply ownership. “If I help a friend or relative process property documents, that does not mean I own the property. The focus should be on who legally owns the company and the land.”
He concluded by reaffirming that no land has been allocated to any of the Minister’s children, friends, or associates in violation of due process. “As Nigerians, they have the right to apply for land if they meet all legal conditions, but at this time, no such allocation has been made to the Minister’s children.”
