…denies link with Aluko
The Governor of Osun, Adegboyega Oyetola, has finally reacted to the viral report over the multi-billion Naira property scandal involving him and his cronies, describing it as untrue.
His reaction came in the light of the mind boggling scandal and other several financial infractions allegedly perpetrated by the Governor Oyetola as published on Premium Times of Thursday October 7 September, 2021.
According to the report, the mansion where Tinubu, who had left London recently, received top politicians and high-profile personalities, is embroiled in a multi-billion fraud scandal.
The expanse 6,975 sq ft property is situated at 32 Grove End Road, in the wealthy Westminster neighbourhood of London.
According to an advert brochure of the property released by popular United Kingdom real estate company, Savills, the estate is made up of two buildings – a five-bedroom property with a formal reception, a study, a master bedroom with an en suite dressing room, bathroom and a cinema suite with a balcony overlooking the rear garden.
Two of the other four bedrooms in the property are en suite. The second building on the estate is a self-contained two-bedroom flat which is built above the property’s double length garage. The property has a gym, two guest cloakrooms, a carriage driveway that can park up to eight cars, and front and rear gardens, and an electric gate.
“Documents obtained from the UK property register revealed that in July 2013, the property with title number 340992, was bought for £11.95 million by Zavlil Holdings Ltd, a shell company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, a notorious tax haven,” PREMIUM TIMES said in its report.
“Documents revealed that Zavlil Holdings Limited is owned by Kolawole Aluko, an international fugitive wanted by law enforcement agencies in Nigeria and the United States for money laundering.
“Kola Aluko and his associate, Jide Omokore, were indicted in the U.S. and Nigeria for multi-million-dollar fraud and money laundering violations allegedly in collusion with a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
“In 2016, the Federal Government of Nigeria filed a Mareva injunction at a Federal High Court in Lagos seeking to confiscate a list of properties belonging to Messrs Aluko and Omokore valued at $1.8 billion.
“A Mareva injunction is a Court order which freezes the assets of a defendant pending the outcome of a litigation.
“In the suit against Messrs Omokore and Aluko, alongside their companies, Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited, the Nigerian Government asked the court to grant it seven orders to prevent the accused from disposing the assets. The government alleged they were acquired through fraudulent means.
“The court granted the government all its prayers. In October 2017, an attempt by the defendants to dismiss the Mareva injunction granted on the properties was subsequently dismissed by Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, the trial judge.”
The report said shortly after the court granted the order, Aluko sold the house for £9 million to Aranda Overseas Corporation, an offshore company incorporated in the British Virgins Island by two of Mr Tinubu’s most trusted surrogates – Oyetola, formerly chair of Paragon Group of Companies, and Elusanmi Eludoyin, who succeeded Oyetola at Paragon.
“The huge discount at which the property was sold is curious and raised questions of whether Mr Aluko desperately needed to sell the property even while a court of law had placed a freeze order on it,” the report read.
“The United Kingdom, especially the greater London area, is noted for rapid increase in the value of properties.”
In the application filed by the Nigerian government, the house number of the property on Grove End Road was omitted. However, PREMIUM TIMES’ extensive investigation in Nigeria and the U.K., including a detailed analysis of photographs of visits to Tinubu, has shown that the APC leader is staying at the same property the Nigerian government wants forfeited.
“We were also able to determine that it was at the same property that Mr Tinubu welcomed Mr Buhari on August 12 as well as other politicians who visited him.
“Our reporters carefully analysed some of the photos of these visits. Sources close to Mr Tinubu also confirmed that he stays and welcomes guests, including Mr Buhari, at the property.
“Two photos of the visit of Mr Abiodun, the governor of Ogun State, were particularly helpful in making the initial connections,” the report read.
PREMIUM TIMES said it put its findings to Tunde Rahman, spokesperson of Tinubu, but he promised to get back within 24 hours, however, he had not done so as of the time the story was published.
However, Gov. Oyetola while reacting In a statement issued in Osogbo on Saturday and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, Oyetola described as unfounded and untrue, the report linking him to the purchase of a property in London, United Kingdom.
He said that he resigned from the company, ‘Aranda Overseas Corporation’, that was allegedly used to buy the said property in 2011 upon his appointment as the Chief of Staff to the then Osun Governor, Rauf Aregbesola.
The Governor also said that he had no relationship whatsoever with Adebayo Aluko, the alleged owner of the said property let alone have any business transaction with him.
Oyetola revealed that he had not broken any law of the land as he also resigned his Directorship of Global Investments Offshore Limited upon his appointment, in 2011.
He thanked family, friends and associates who have shown concern through phone calls, visits and text messages over the development, assuring them that there is nothing to worry about on the matter.
The statement reads in parts: “We have seen reports in some online media platforms concerning the PANDORA PAPERS’ allegations.This is, therefore, to set the record straight.
“Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, Governor of Osun State, resigned his directorship of Aranda Overseas Corporation in 2011, when he took up political appointment. He also surrendered his shareholding of the same company.
“Since 2011 till date, he has had no association, dealings and business transactions with the said company, as he is neither a director nor shareholder of the said company.
“He, therefore, could not have acquired the said property in 2017 either directly or through the said company as being alleged.
“As a matter of fact, Oyetola has no relationship or link with the alleged owner of the property, Mr Kolawole Aluko, let alone go into a business dealing or transaction with him.
“He also complied fully with the law of the land by exiting Global Investments Offshore Limited, as a Director in 2011, upon his appointment as the Chief of Staff to the immediate past governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola.
“While we appreciate family members, friends, associates and well-wishers for their show of concern over the development, we assure them that there is nothing to worry about. Mr. Oyetola has always shown that he is a man who knows and respects the law in his corporate and political endeavours.
“The God that has brought us thus far will never forsake us.”
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