The management of De Rainbow Event Centre has denied reports claiming that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, threatened to revoke its operating licence over the hosting of the African Democratic Congress national convention.
The rebuttal follows controversy surrounding the venue used for the ADC convention held on April 14 in Abuja, amid earlier allegations by party officials that the facility was pressured to cancel its booking.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the Director of the event centre, Mrs Martina Yusuf, dismissed the claim as false and unverified.
She said, “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.
“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 said the clarification became necessary after concerns were raised by clients over the status of their bookings.
“This clarification has become necessary following enquiries from clients with existing bookings who are concerned about their scheduled events.
She further assured that the facility remains open for business and that all confirmed reservations are still valid.
“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 stated.
The controversy stems from earlier claims by the ADC leadership under former Senate President David Mark, which alleged that the venue was pressured to withdraw from hosting the event.
ADC spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, had also claimed that officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority and the FCT Minister warned that the facility risked losing its licence if it hosted the convention.
Despite the allegation, the party insisted it went ahead with the convention as planned, stating that all contractual obligations with the venue had been fulfilled.
The latest denial by the facility management directly contradicts those claims, adding a fresh twist to the dispute surrounding the convention venue.
