The management of De Rainbow Event Centre has denied claims that it was threatened with licence revocation by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over the hosting of the African Democratic Congress convention.
The clarification was made on Thursday in Abuja. It comes after days of controversy surrounding the venue used for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) national convention held on April 14.
Speaking at a press briefing, the Director of the centre, Mrs Martina K. Yusuf, dismissed the allegation. She described it as false and misleading.
She said, “We wish to categorically state that De Rainbow Event Marquee did not receive any threat of license revocation from the 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 statement became necessary after concerns from clients who had already booked the facility. According to her, some customers had raised fears over whether their events would still hold as scheduled.
“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 added.
The development follows earlier claims by the ADC leadership, led by former Senate President David Mark. The party had alleged that the venue faced pressure to cancel its agreement ahead of the convention.
In a statement shared online, the party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, claimed the management of the event centre informed them of threats. He alleged that officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority, alongside the FCT Minister, warned of possible consequences if the event was hosted.
Abdullahi insisted that the venue risked losing its operational licence. He, however, maintained that the party would not back down. According to him, the ADC fulfilled all financial obligations and had a binding agreement with the facility before the alleged pressure emerged.
Despite the claims, the event went ahead as planned in Abuja.