National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has admitted owning two popular media entities, Television Continental (TVC) and The Nation newspaper.
He disclosed this in a Sunday statement on the EndSARS protests.
TVC is operated by TVC Communications, which equally operates MAX FM, while The Nation newspaper is published by Vintage Press Limited.
Speculations had dragged on for years over the real owner of the two media houses with many identifying Tinubu as the owner.
The former Lagos State Governor put the speculations to rest by admitting his ownership of the media houses on Sunday.
Both media houses were torched by hoodlums after last Tuesday’s shooting of peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos by soldiers.
The shooting was said to have been ordered by Tinubu, who many touted as the owner of Lekki Concession Company (LCC), the concessionaire and operator of the toll gate.
Tinubu ordered the shooting, they said, to mitigate the loss incurred by the company due to the continued blockage of the toll gate by peaceful EndSARS protesters.
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However, Tinubu denied ownership of the company and ordering the soldiers, saying only the Commander-in-Chief and the leaders of the military could order soldiers to embark on any mission.
He said, “The slander aimed at me is based on the untruth that I own the toll gate concession. The hate mongers prevaricate that I ordered the Lekki assault because the protests had caused me to lose money due to the interruption of toll gate activity.
“I ask people to thoroughly investigate the matter of my alleged ownership of the toll gate. By seeking facts, instead of being swayed by gossip, you will find I have no ownership interest or involvement in the toll gate.
“At bottom, the toll gate is a public asset. If it is reopened, revenues should be donated to the confirmed victims of the Lekki attack as well as to other identifiable victims of police brutality in Lagos.
“Let government use the money to compensate and take care of those who have lost life or limb in the struggle for all citizens to go about the quiet, peaceful enjoyment of life without fear of undue harassment at this or that checkpoint.
“On the other hand, I am, indeed, a promoter and financial investor in The Nation and TVC. It was widely known and circulated through social media that certain malevolent elements were going to take advantage of the situation to attack the Nation newspaper facilities & TVC.
“These elements, mostly hirelings of my political opponents, wreaked their havoc and destroyed those buildings and facilities and I thank God that the employees of these two media institutions managed to escape largely unharmed.
“There is no rationale that can adequately explain why I would order soldiers to repel peaceful protesters from the toll gate where I have no financial interest, yet, choose to do nothing to protect my investments in the Nation and TVC.”