The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has moved to commence legal action against a businesswoman, Tracy Ohiri, over renewed allegations about ₦250 million debt claims for promotional and printing services she provided during his 2015 governorship campaign in Ebonyi state.
Umahi and Tracy have been locked in a protracted dispute after the woman accused the Minister of sexual harassment and unpaid campaign-related debt.
According to Ohiri, repeated demands for payment were met with alleged advances from the Minister, which she said she rejected, and the situation escalated, with threats and eventual police action against her.
Ohiri was also 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’s 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 after her lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, intervened.
She deleted the posts and issued a public apology, withdrawing 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, but the money was not paid before the video was released, contrary to the agreement.
Umahi Issues Conditions To Resolve Matter
Senior Special Assistant on Media to Umahi, Francis Nwaz, in a statement on Saturday, said the Minister had asked Ohiri to provide verifiable evidence of her claims and get ₦1 billion in return.
Nwaz said that 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.
Umahi’s aide stressed that the Minister has directed his legal team to proceed with all court processes to ensure that the truth is fully established if Ohiri fails to meet the stated conditions, particularly her inability to provide credible, verifiable evidence.
The statement read, “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.
“His involvement was entirely selfless and driven by a genuine effort to resolve the matter amicably.
“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.
“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.
“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).
“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.
“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.”
By Rachel Okporu Fadoju
