WINHOMES petitions Tinubu over Umahi’s actions, warning demolition of Lagos estate risks $250m diaspora investment and damages investor confidence
WINHOMES petitions Tinubu over the ongoing demolition of its Lagos estate, accusing Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, of reckless overreach and conduct that threatens Nigeria’s investment image.
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In a strongly-worded petition, the firm described Umahi’s actions as damaging to diaspora investor confidence and potentially harmful to the reputation of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The petition, signed by Engr. Stella Okengwu, a US citizen and diaspora investor, was sent directly to the President.
Okengwu described the demolition of sections of the WINHOMES Estate along the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway as illegal, high-handed and contemptuous of an ongoing court process.
According to her, Umahi’s repeated reference to President Tinubu in a matter still pending before the Federal High Court is not only improper but puts the presidency at risk of legal and diplomatic backlash.
“This matter is sub judice… By tying your name to his actions, he has placed the presidency in the line of legal and diplomatic fire,” Okengwu warned in the petition.
She added that Section 1(3) of the 1999 Constitution remains supreme, and no official, regardless of rank, is above the law.
The WINHOMES project — a ₦375 billion ($250 million) diaspora-backed real estate development — reportedly sits on 20 hectares of legally acquired land, complete with three verified titles and 2,500 fully serviced plots.
The developer claims that over 400 plots valued at ₦60 billion have already been affected by the highway diversion, with total damages rising to ₦85 billion.
Okengwu said the project was designed as a model for diaspora reinvestment in Nigeria and stressed that all funds were transferred via legal channels, including Sendwave, Western Union, and MoneyGram.
“This is diaspora sweat, real capital, and tangible infrastructure — now endangered by ministerial overreach,” she added.
She refuted any claims of illegality, noting that WINHOMES is certified by the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) and compliant with all anti–money laundering regulations. Allegations otherwise, she said, would be treated as defamatory and met with legal action.
Addressing the litigation, the developer challenged Umahi’s public claim that judgment had been delivered in favour of the Federal Government, clarifying that Suit No: FHC/L/CS/10063/25 remains undecided before Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi.
She likened the situation to the landmark 1986 Supreme Court ruling in Governor of Lagos v. Ojukwu, which forbade self-help by government during active litigation.
“The Minister’s visit to the disputed site and his declaration that he has taken the land himself is contemptuous and unconstitutional,” she said.
Okengwu also alleged that private developers had approached Umahi to acquire sections of the disputed estate. If confirmed, she warned, it would constitute fraudulent interference and further undermine investor trust.
“The world is watching. Every reckless statement from the Minister de-markets Nigeria and raises the risk perception among foreign investors.”
Calling on President Tinubu to intervene, she urged him to uphold judicial independence and establish an independent valuation panel to assess investor losses.
“This is your moment to show that Renewed Hope is not a slogan but a covenant of justice,” Okengwu told the President.
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The petition ends with a plea for structured dialogue between the government and WINHOMES’ legal team, warning that Nigeria’s investment climate credibility depends on how the dispute is resolved.
