Edison Ehie, Chief of Staff to suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has alleged that he was offered a staggering N5 billion to orchestrate the impeachment of his principal. Ehie made the revelation during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, claiming to possess evidence stored on his phone.
According to Ehie, the bribery attempt occurred in October 2023 while he was serving as the majority leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly. He stated that he has printed and distributed the evidence to safeguard himself, fearing possible retaliation.
“I can also open my phone to show you, in the beginning of October 2023, when they approached me with a bribe of N5 billion. It is here in my phone. It was for impeachment. It’s here. I have it and I have printed it and distributed it, in case, in their evil imagination, they decide to attack me. I already have a son and a brother,” Ehie said.
Ehie also addressed allegations linking him to the October 30, 2023, bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The accusation was made by George Nwaeke, a former Head of Service in the state, who claimed during a press conference last Friday that he witnessed a bag of money being handed to Ehie at the Government House to facilitate the bombing.
However, Nwaeke admitted that he did not know the exact amount in the bag.
Dismissing the claims as politically motivated and unfounded, Ehie said,
“It is very important to clarify that I had no hand and was not part of the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Like everyone else, I woke up in the early hours of October 30, 2023, to hear of the burning down of the Assembly.”
Ehie revealed that he has instructed his lawyers to file a criminal libel lawsuit against Nwaeke, challenging him to substantiate his allegations. He also alleged that Nwaeke had sought financial assistance from him on the same day he resigned as Head of Service.
The crisis in Rivers State escalated after a fallout between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. In response, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers on March 18, suspending both the governor and his deputy. A week later, the state’s sole administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, ordered the suspension of all political officeholders.
Comments