Dare Babalola
The management of De Rainbow Event Centre in Abuja has dismissed allegations that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, threatened to shut down its operations over its role in hosting the national convention of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, the centre’s director, Martina K. Yusuf, described the reports as inaccurate and lacking any factual basis. She stated unequivocally that neither the FCT Minister nor any government agency issued threats regarding the facility’s licence.
According to Yusuf, the claims circulating in the media were not authorised by the management and appear to have been spread without proper verification.
She urged journalists and the public to disregard the reports and rely only on confirmed information.
The clarification comes in the wake of controversy surrounding the ADC convention held on April 14 in Abuja, after party officials suggested the venue had come under pressure to cancel the event.
Yusuf explained that the need to address the issue publicly arose after multiple clients expressed concern about the status of their bookings.
She reassured customers that the facility remains fully operational and that all scheduled events will proceed as planned.
“We want to assure our clients that business continues as usual. All confirmed reservations are intact, and we remain committed to providing a safe and well-managed environment for events,” she said.
The dispute originated from earlier statements by ADC figures aligned with former Senate President David Mark. The party had alleged that the venue faced pressure to withdraw from hosting the convention.
In a separate statement shared on X, ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi claimed that the event centre’s management informed the party of alleged threats from officials linked to the Federal Capital Development Authority and the FCT administration.
He warned that the venue risked losing its operational licence if it went ahead with the event.
Despite the alleged pressure, Abdullahi maintained that the party proceeded with the convention as planned, citing that all contractual agreements had been concluded and payments duly made prior to the controversy.
