Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, has directed his legal team to initiate court proceedings against Tracy Ohiri following her renewed claims that he owes her N280 million.
Ohiri had earlier taken to social media to accuse the minister of failing to pay for campaign materials allegedly supplied during his tenure as a party chairman. She also made allegations of ual harassment in a viral video, claims that led to her arrest and prosecution.
The situation briefly deescalated after her lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, intervened. Ohiri subsequently deleted the posts and issued a public apology, withdrawing her accusations. However, in a surprising turn, she later resumed the claims, prompting Umahi to take decisive legal action.
In a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, the minister maintained that Ohiri had failed to provide credible evidence to support her allegations. He reiterated that she had been given the option to either present verifiable proof including communications and transaction records or allow the matter to be settled in court.
Umahi further disclosed that some of his associates had expressed willingness to contribute up to N1 billion if Ohiri could substantiate her claims with concrete evidence. According to him, she has yet to meet that condition.
The minister emphasized that his decision to pursue legal action is aimed at elishing the truth and putting an end to what he described as persistent and unsubstantiated accusations. He also defended Abubakar’s role, stating that the lawyer acted in good faith and did not request or receive any financial compensation.
Despite the controversy, Umahi affirmed his commitment to his duties, stating that he remains focused on delivering infrastructure projects and advancing national development.
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