‘It was scripted’ — Tracy Ohiri alleges coercion, says she was promised $70k to retract claims against Umahi

A businesswoman Tracy Ohiri, who previously accused David Umahi, minister of works, of sexual harassment and unpaid campaign-related debt, has alleged that she was pressured into retracting her claims and promised payment that was never made.

In a new video, Ohiri claimed that a lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, compelled her to record the retraction and informed her that Umahi had agreed to compensate her.

However, she alleged that the money was not paid before the video was released, contrary to what she described as their agreement.

“Marshal, you gave me a script… you forced me to do this video,” she said.

“You said the person told you he was willing to pay me and compensate me for even arresting me and body-shaming me in public… You told me that I will receive my payment before you release the video.”

Ohiri repeatedly demanded payment in the video, questioning why it was made public before she received any money.

“How did you release the video without me collecting my money?” Ohiri asked.

She also alleged that Abubakar threatened her and prevented her from discussing the matter with others.

“You made sure I did not speak to anybody… you kept on threatening me,” the businesswoman said.

She called on the Nigerian Bar Association to investigate the lawyer’s conduct, describing it as unethical, and shared secretly recorded phone conversations she had with him.

The allegations have not been independently verified.

Background

Ohiri had earlier claimed that Umahi owed her about N250 million for promotional and printing services she provided during his 2015 governorship campaign in Ebonyi State.

According to her, repeated demands for payment were met with alleged advances from the minister, which she said she rejected.

She further alleged that after turning down the advances, the situation escalated into threats and eventual police action against her.

Ohiri was arrested in Lagos over allegations of cyberbullying linked to her social media posts and later transferred to Abuja, where she was detained at the FCT police command.

She was subsequently arraigned before a magistrate court in Wuse, Abuja, on a defamation charge and granted bail.

The case attracted public attention after Omoyele Sowore, activist and former presidential candidate, confronted Umahi at the police headquarters, criticising what he described as the criminalisation of a civil dispute.

Umahi’s response

Umahi denied both the allegation of indebtedness and claims of sexual harassment.

In a video response, the minister described the allegations as baseless and said his record in public office should speak for him.

“As party chairman, I owed nobody… I presided over both men and women, and nobody ever said I harassed them,” he said.

He dismissed the controversy as social media speculation.

“What you read on social media, I’m not worried about it… it’s just to make social media alive,” he added.

Retraction

Amid the controversy, Ohiri released a video retracting her earlier allegations and apologising to the minister and his family.

She said her decision followed consultations with her family, friends, and legal team.

In the retraction, she withdrew key aspects of her claims, including allegations that Umahi made threats referencing past incidents.

On the financial dispute, she stated that there was no formally signed agreement between her and the minister, suggesting that any materials she supplied may have been used by aides without his knowledge.

However, her latest video challenges that retraction, alleging that it was scripted and made under pressure, with a promise of payment that was not honoured.

She also claimed to have recordings of conversations and said she intends to release them.

Abubakar’s response

Responding to the allegations on his Facebook page, Abubakar denied coercing Ohiri or withholding any payment, describing her claims as false.

He said he was among those who supported Ohiri during her arrest, including engaging activists and facilitating her bail.

According to him, efforts were made to mediate between Ohiri and Umahi, but the minister maintained that he was not indebted to her and would only make payment if a court established the existence of a contract.

“He insisted that he wasn’t owing her and wouldn’t pay unless she can establish the existence of a contract,” he said.

Abubakar added that during the mediation process, he found no evidence supporting Ohiri’s claims of a contractual agreement or delivery of services to the minister.

“There was no single real evidence of any contractual agreement… no evidence that the minister ever engaged her,” he said.

He further stated that Ohiri eventually agreed to retract her allegations as part of efforts to resolve the dispute.

Abubakar said a sum of $70,000 was provided by a third party, Joseph Ekumankama, not as compensation or admission of liability, but to facilitate peace.

He denied personally benefiting financially from the process and alleged that Ohiri later demanded a significantly higher amount.

“She promised to drag my name online unless I… pay her N300 million,” he said.

Abubakar added that he is considering legal action over the allegations made against him.