People Democratic Party (PDP) youth leader in Eleme Council of Rivers State, Princewill Osarojiji, has said that Governor Nyesom Wike demolished two hotels in the state, including Prodest Hotel, due to false information.

Speaking from hiding on Friday, Osarojiji said he was not the owner of Prodest Hotel, but that his cousin, the Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu, misinformed the governor that he owned and operated the hotel during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown.

Osarojiji also revealed that the claim by the state government on the death of one COVID-19 task force member and battering of three others who were bandaged in a hospital was stage-managed.

He disclosed that the acclaimed sick people, whom he simply gave their names as Kolowa, Appollous and Abuchia, were among those that distributed the state government’s palliatives on Sunday evening after the demolition and wondered how they could suddenly become sick after distributing palliatives.

The wanted PDP youth leader argued that if truly a task force member was killed during a fracas, the state government should provide his name and family to enable residents go for condolence visit.

He expressed willingness to submit himself to security agencies or to the governor but appealed that he should be granted fair hearing, maintaining that he was not a cultist.

Meanwhile, the owner of Prodest Hotel, Mr. Promise Needam, denied knowing Osarojiji. He lamented that the governor acted hastily without proper investigation, regretting that 60 workers at the hotel had lost their jobs automatically and that the development signalled danger to prospective investors.

Contacted, Kamalu said he had no knowledge of Osarojiji’s claims. He added that the circumstances surrounding the hotel demolition remained strange to him, but at an appropriate time, as he noted that he was in a meeting as at press time.(Text, excluding headline, courtesy of The Guardian)