ABUJA, NIGERIA — The legal battle between Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, and businesswoman Tracy Nicolas Ohiri reached a boiling point on Thursday at the Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 6. Ohiri, who was arraigned on charges of cyberbullying and defamation, used the session to “blow hot” on the Minister, revealing the sordid details of a decade-long financial and personal dispute.
The arraignment follows a series of viral videos where Ohiri accused the former Ebonyi State Governor of refusing to settle a ₦250 million debt originating from his 2014 gubernatorial campaign.
The Courtroom Showdown
In a charged atmosphere, Ohiri pleaded with the court for justice, detailing how she had used her personal capital and borrowed funds to supply campaign materials twelve years ago. The most explosive revelation, however, concerned the alleged reason for the non-payment.
Ohiri claimed the debt remains unpaid because she rejected unwanted sexual advances from Umahi years ago. She described a specific incident where the then-gubernatorial candidate allegedly approached her in a hotel room wearing only a towel. When she later pleaded for her payment, Ohiri alleged that Umahi dismissively told her, “God is busy.”
Arrest and Bail Standoff
The case took a criminal turn when the Nigeria Police Force arrested Ohiri in Lagos, acting on a petition from the Minister’s legal team. Activist Omoyele Sowore, who confronted Umahi at the FCT Police Command, accused the Minister of using the police as a personal tool to “harass and intimidate” a woman over what is essentially a civil debt.
Despite fierce opposition from the police, who sought to keep her in custody, Chief Magistrate Ope Ibrahim granted Ohiri bail set at ₦1 million with two sureties. However, the drama didn’t end there; reports from the court indicated that police officers initially attempted to block officials from signing the release warrant even after the ruling was delivered.
A Pattern of Power
The Minister’s aides have dismissed the allegations as “false and misleading,” yet the case has ignited a fierce public debate over the misuse of political office and gender-based exploitation.
Coming on the heels of Senator Nwoye’s rebellion against Mark Okoye and Buba Galadima’s exposé on the “selective justice” within the APC, the Ohiri-Umahi scandal serves as a stark reminder of the widening gap between the Nigerian ruling class and the citizens they serve. As Ohiri famously retorted in court, if “God is busy,” the Nigerian public is clearly paying very close attention.
