The Minister of Works and former Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator David Umahi, has dismissed allegations that he deployed police officers to intimidate or target Mrs. Tracy Ohiri over a dispute related to alleged campaign debts.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, the minister described the accusations as inconsistent and contradictory. The statement clarified that the Nigeria Police Force acted based on a formal petition submitted by Umahi’s legal representative and not on any personal directive from the minister.
According to the statement, the police, in carrying out their constitutional responsibility to maintain law and order and investigate complaints, arrested Ohiri and also invited Umahi to provide a statement in line with standard investigative procedures.
The media office further reacted to a viral video shared by activist Omoyele Sowore, which shows him confronting the minister in public over the allegations. The statement characterised the confrontation as an attempt to sensationalise a matter that is already under investigation by the appropriate authorities.
Umahi’s team maintained that the minister did not attempt to use state institutions to settle personal scores and insisted that he remains committed to due process and the rule of law. The statement added that the minister declined to engage in what it described as theatrics and chose instead to allow the legal process to take its course.
The controversy gained attention after Mrs. Ohiri released a video alleging assault and non-payment for campaign materials. Sowore later shared footage of his encounter with Umahi, questioning the minister over the claims and accusing him of using public institutions to intimidate a private citizen.
The incident has since sparked varied reactions on social media, with supporters of both parties offering differing perspectives. Meanwhile, the matter remains under police investigation, with authorities expected to determine the facts of the case.