The management of De Rainbow Event Marquee has dismissed reports alleging that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, threatened to revoke its operational licence over the hosting of the national convention of the African Democratic Congress.
The denial comes amid controversy surrounding the venue of the ADC national convention held on April 14 in Abuja, following earlier claims by party officials that the facility was pressured to cancel its booking at short notice.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of the event centre, Mrs Martina Yusuf, described the allegation as false and unverified.
“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,” she said.
“These reports were not authorised by us and, to the best of our knowledge, are untrue. They appear to have been circulated without verification.”
Yusuf urged the public and media organisations to disregard the claims and rely only on verified information, stressing that the facility remained open for business.
“We confirm that De Rainbow Event Marquee remains open for business and all confirmed bookings remain valid,” she said.
“Providing our clients with a secure and controlled environment is our top priority.”
She added that the clarification was necessary due to concerns raised by clients with existing reservations.
“This clarification has become necessary following enquiries from clients with existing bookings who are concerned about their scheduled events,” Yusuf explained.
The dispute stems from earlier allegations made by the ADC leadership led by former Senate President David Mark, which claimed that the event centre was under pressure to withdraw its services ahead of the convention.
ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi had alleged in a statement that officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration and the FCT Minister threatened the venue with licence revocation if it proceeded with hosting the party’s event.
Despite the controversy, Abdullahi insisted that the party went ahead with preparations for the convention, saying all contractual obligations had been fulfilled prior to the dispute.
The latest rebuttal from the event centre management contradicts the earlier claims, adding a new dimension to the ongoing political and administrative disagreement surrounding the convention venue.