By Ogochukwu Isioma
The management of De Rainbow Event Centre has exonerated the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, from allegations that he threatened to revoke its operational licence for hosting the national convention of the African Democratic Congress (ADC ) held on April 14.
The clarification follows the controversy trailing the venue of the ADC convention held in Abuja amid earlier claims by ADC chieftains that the facility was under pressure to cancel its booking.
The Director of the Event Centre, Martina K. Yusuf, at a press briefing in Abuja, dismissed the allegation as false and unverified.
She said, “We wish to categorically state that De Rainbow Event Marquee did not receive any threat of license revocation from the Honourable Minister of the FCT or from any other person or government institution.
“These reports were not authorised by us and, to the best of our knowledge, are untrue. They appear to have been circulated without verification.
“Members of the public and the media are therefore urged to disregard the allegation in its entirety and only rely on verified information.”
Yusuf explained that the clarification became necessary following concerns raised by clients over the status of the facility’s bookings.
“This clarification has become necessary following enquiries from clients with existing bookings who are concerned about their scheduled events.
“We confirm that De Rainbow Event Marquee remains open for business and all confirmed bookings remain valid. Providing our clients with a secure and controlled environment is our top priority.
“We are grateful for everyone’s understanding and the trust they have placed in us,” she stated.
The controversy stems from an earlier claim by a faction of the ADC led by a former Senate President David Mark, which alleged that the venue of its convention was under pressure to withdraw its services.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, had in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), alleged that the management of the event centre informed the party of threats from officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and the FCT Minister.
He had claimed the facility risked losing its licence if it hosted the party’s gathering.
Despite the alleged pressure, Abdullahi maintained that the ADC would proceed with the convention as scheduled, adding that all financial obligations had been fulfilled and a formal agreement had been reached with the venue before the development.
