David Umahi, the minister of works has directed his legal team to initiate court proceedings against businesswoman Tracy Ohiri following renewed allegations that he owes her N280 million.
Ohiri had earlier claimed on social media that the minister failed to pay for campaign materials supplied during his tenure as a party chairman. She also accused him of sexual harassment in a video that circulated widely online.
The allegations initially led to her arrest and prosecution, after which her lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, intervened. Following the intervention, Ohiri retracted her claims and issued a public apology.
However, days later, she resumed the accusations, prompting the minister to take legal action.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Francis Nwaze, Umahi said he had earlier given two options for resolving the dispute: either the matter be settled in court or that Ohiri provide verifiable evidence, including communications and records, to support her claims.
He added that despite repeated opportunities, she had failed to present credible proof of the alleged debt.
Umahi further revealed that he had indicated to her lawyer that if such evidence were provided, some of his associates were willing to raise as much as N1 billion to settle the matter. According to him, this condition has not been met.
The minister also defended Abubakar’s role, stating that the lawyer acted in good faith and neither requested nor received any payment during his involvement in the matter.
He said his decision to pursue legal redress was driven by the need to establish the truth, noting that he had previously refrained from responding publicly despite repeated allegations.
Umahi reiterated that he remains focused on his responsibilities at the Ministry of Works and will not be distracted by the controversy.