David Umahi, minister of works, has directed his legal team to commence legal action against Tracy Ohiri, a businesswoman, over renewed allegation that he owes her about N250 million for promotional and printing services she provided during his 2015 governorship campaign in Ebonyi state.
Background
In recent weeks, Umahi and Tracy have been locked in a protracted dispute after the woman accused the minister of sexual harassment and unpaid campaign-related debt.
Ohiri had alleged that Umahi owed her about N250 million for promotional and printing services she provided during his 2015 governorship campaign in Ebonyi state.
According to her, repeated demands for payment were met with alleged advances from the minister, which she said she rejected.
She further alleged that after rejecting the advances, the situation escalated, with threats and eventual police action against her.
Ohiri was arrested in Lagos over allegations of cyberbullying linked to her social media posts about the dispute and was subsequently transferred to Abuja, where she was detained at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command.
She was later arraigned before a magistrate court in Wuse, Abuja, on a defamation charge and granted bail.
However, as the dispute generated heated debate online, Ohiri apologised to the minister in a viral video following the intervention of Marshall Abubakar, her lawyer.
She deleted the posts and issued a public apology in which she withdrew her allegations.
However, days later, Ohiri, in a fresh video, claimed that Abubakar pressured her to record the retraction and conveyed that Umahi had agreed to compensate her.
She alleged that the money was not paid before the video was released, contrary to what she said was the agreement.
‘Provide Evidence And Get N1bn’
However, in a statement on Saturday, Francis Nwaz, senior special assistant on media to Umahi, said the minister had asked Ohiri to provide verifiable evidence of her claims and get N1 billion in return.
“First, it is important to clarify that Barr. Marshall Abubakar acted in good faith and was motivated solely by a desire to assist Mrs. Ohiri,” the statement reads.
“His involvement was entirely selfless and driven by a genuine effort to resolve the matter amicably.”
Nwaz said at no time did Abubakar discuss or negotiate the payment of any money to Ohiri but that some associates and well-meaning individuals independently approached him with the intention of helping her.
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“For the avoidance of doubt, the Honourable Minister had clearly stated two conditions for resolving the matter: either the issue should be determined in court or Mrs. Ohiri provides verifiable evidence, including all relevant communications, to substantiate her claims,” he said.
“It must also be emphasised that Barr. Marshall Abubakar conducted himself with utmost decency and integrity throughout. He neither requested nor received any money from the Honourable Minister at any point.”
He stressed that following Ohiri’s failure to meet the stated conditions, particularly her inability to provide credible and verifiable evidence, Umahi had directed his legal team to proceed with all court processes to ensure that the truth is fully established.
“The minister further acknowledged that he had indicated to Barr. Marshall that if Mrs. Ohiri could provide complete evidence, logs and communications from the period in question, some friends and associates were willing to contribute the sum of One Billion Naira (N1bn). The Minister is still waiting for the above,” Nwaz said.
“It is also worth noting that for several years, the Minister chose to remain silent despite persistent provocations and public attacks.
“This restraint was deliberate and guided by a commitment to focus on state and national service rather than distractions. However, recent developments have made it necessary to respond.”
He added that the minister appreciated some Nigerians who had taken time to examine the facts and arrive at an informed understanding of the situation.
“There is growing awareness that not everyone who presents themselves as a victim truly is one and that, in some cases, narratives are deliberately inverted,” he added.
