The management of De Rainbow Event Centre has pushed back against claims that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, threatened to revoke its operational licence over the hosting of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) national convention.
The denial comes amid controversy surrounding the April 14 convention in Abuja, after earlier allegations suggested the venue was under pressure to cancel its booking.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of the facility, Mrs Martina Yusuf, dismissed the reports as false and lacking verification.
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 explained that the clarification was necessary following concerns raised by clients over the status of existing bookings at the venue.
“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 stated.
The dispute traces back to earlier claims by the ADC leadership under former Senate President David Mark, which alleged that the venue faced pressure to withdraw from hosting the convention.
ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement posted on X, claimed the event centre had informed the party of threats from officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority and the FCT Minister.
He alleged that the facility risked losing its licence if it proceeded with the party’s gathering.
Despite the alleged pressure, Abdullahi maintained that the ADC went ahead with the convention as planned, noting that all financial obligations had been met and a formal agreement had been secured with the venue beforehand.
However, the event centre’s rebuttal directly contradicts those claims, introducing a new twist to the controversy surrounding the ADC convention.
