Umahi to take legal action over businesswoman Ohiri’s N250m debt allegation

NIGERIA’S Minister of Works, Mr David Umahi, has instructed his lawyers to begin legal proceedings against Tracy Ohiri following renewed claims that he owes her about N250 million. The alleged debt is tied to promotional and printing services she said she provided during his 2015 governorship campaign in Ebonyi State.

The dispute between both parties has intensified in recent weeks, with Ohiri accusing the minister not only of failing to settle the debt but also of sexual harassment. She maintained that despite repeated efforts to secure payment, her demands were allegedly met with advances from Umahi, which she said she declined.

According to Ohiri, her refusal to entertain those advances worsened the situation, leading to threats and eventual involvement of law enforcement authorities.

The controversy escalated when she was arrested in Lagos over allegations of cyberbullying related to her social media posts on the matter. She was later moved to Abuja and detained at the Federal Capital Territory Police Command before being arraigned at a magistrate court in Wuse on a defamation charge. She was subsequently granted bail. All these happened with the support of human rights activist and publisher, Yele Sowore.

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Amid growing public attention, Ohiri released a viral video apologising to Umahi after the intervention of her lawyer, Marshall Abubakar. She also deleted her earlier posts and formally withdrew the allegations.

New turn

However, the situation took another turn days later when she issued a fresh video, alleging that she had been pressured by her lawyer into making the retraction. She further claimed that Umahi had agreed to compensate her, but the payment was not made before the apology was released, contrary to what she described as their understanding.

Responding to the claims, Umahi’s media aide, Francis Nwaz, said the minister had challenged Ohiri to present verifiable proof of her allegations, with a promise that she would receive N1 billion if she could substantiate them.

Nwaz clarified that Abubakar acted in good faith and did not negotiate or receive any money on the minister’s behalf, adding that while some individuals independently sought to support Ohiri, there was no formal agreement involving payment from Umahi.

According to the statement, the minister had set two clear conditions for resolving the matter: either the issue be settled in court or Ohiri provide concrete evidence, including relevant communications, to back her claims.

With Ohiri yet to meet those conditions, particularly the submission of credible evidence, Umahi has now directed his legal team to proceed with court action to establish the facts.

Nwaz also noted that although Umahi had earlier chosen not to publicly respond to the allegations, recent developments made it necessary for him to address the matter. He added that the minister appreciates Nigerians who have taken time to review the situation critically, stressing that public narratives can sometimes be misleading.