The Managing Director of Whitestone Global Investment Limited, Architect Oluwole Woleola, handling the ongoing renovation and remodelling of Agbowo Shopping Complex, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has alleged Governor Seyi Makinde’s ally, Seye Famojuro of chasing him and other workers of his company out of the site.
Woleola, while speaking with journalists, lamented that Seye Famojuro had allegedly used Operation Burst to chase them out of site, shortly after Governor Seyi Makinde had officially and symbolically handed over Agbowo Shopping Complex to the company for renovation and remodelling.
Woleola disclosed that his reluctance and firm stance not to regard Architect Toyin Owonubi of Connect Multiplus Construction Limited as project’s financier was on account of his failure to produce some documents which were in connection with Certificate of Incorporation, CAC Form 02, CAC Form 07, three years Tax Clearance, Corporate TIN, three years Statement of Accounts, Scuml Clearance From EFCC, BVN of Directors and Bank Guaranty to the tune of ₦5.2 billion respectively, had no doubt triggered their purported banishment from the site.
MD, Whitestone Global Investment Limited added that Arch. Toyin Owonubi, MD, Connect Multiplus Construction Limited, HFZ Office, Olatunji House, 299, Ikorodu Road, Maryland, Lagos had shown interest in being the main financier of the project but woefully failed to get it, sequel to his failure to provide the above mentioned documents which he claimed are the unavoidable prerequisites for the attainment of the project.
While going down memory lane, Oluwole said that the Oyo State Bureau for Investment/Public Private Partnership (PPP) had on August 29th, 2019 invited the investing public to bid for the state government’s assets on a PPP within four weeks (August, 29 to September, 2019) while Agbowo Shopping Complex of 2.352 hectares located directly opposite of University of Ibadan that had Ref No: BIP-PPP/01/02 on advertorial page of the newspaper was among those assets.
He said he was lucky to get the contract, as Governor Seyi Makinde on 23rd September, 2020 symbolically handed over Agbowo Shopping Complex on a long lease concession to Messrs Whitestone Global Investment Limited for ₦4.9 billion, as mandate centred on conversion of the moribund structure into premium commercial real estate and a four-star hotel.
He added that it was a funfair occasion where creme de la creme in Oyo State Ministries, Departments and Agencies were in attendance to witness the event of how Governor Makinde delivered his speech and eventually handed over gold plated key of the new Agbowo Shopping Complex to him.
Woleola stressed that he equally wrote a letter of invitation to the members of family, friends and others who made sure they massively attended and witnessed how the complex was handed over to him.
He confirmed that he made sure that he followed due process while bidding for the project and precondition fee to the tune of #2m was paid to the coffer of Oyo State Government via Oyo State Investment and Public Private Agency, OYSIPA where Hon. Segun Ogunwusi is the Director-General.
Woleola reiterated that Seye Famojuro had been making life difficult for them shortly after the project was handed over to them by the Governor, stressing that the matter became worse having turned down the request of Arch Toyin Owonubi’s request to act as financier, sequel to his failure to present some documents and evidences associated with genuineness of the company.
He said that “sequel to Connect Multi plus Construction Limited’s failure to carry on the project, Arch. Toyin Owonubi allegedly connived with Pavilion Engineering & Construction Company Limited to carry out some nefarious financial atrocities, having got Seye Famojuro’s nod.
Woleola said that despite the obvious perpetration of financial impropriety, Aduke Law Firm wrote a proposal for amicable settlement of dispute, that was offered at the instance of the governor, just for peace to reign and that the project could move forward, but all to no avail as DG, OYSIPA, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi and Seye Famojuro were making frantic efforts to fan ember of discord between the duo.
He said that the project they had was in line with strict adherence to the rule of law, due process and payment of compulsory fee is now being challenged by Seye Famojure, in collaboration with DG, OYSIPA.
Woleola called on Governor Seyi Makinde to ensure he calls Seye Famojuro to order and retrieve business back to him for the sake of fairness, justice and equity.
While filing this report, all efforts to speak with Mr. Famojuro proved abortive whole text messages and WhatsApp messages sent to him were not returned.
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