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Ohiri Accuses Ex-Lawyer of Coercing Umahi Allegations Retraction

Published 21 March 2026

A long-simmering dispute between businesswoman Tracy Ohiri and Nigeria's Minister of Works, David Umahi, has reignited in recent days, with Ohiri accusing her former lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, of coercing her into retracting earlier claims of unpaid debt and sexual harassment against the minister. The conflict, which originated from alleged unpaid services during Umahi's 2015 governorship campaign in Ebonyi State, has now drawn in social media activist VeryDarkMan and raised questions about legal ethics and financial transactions.

Ohiri first alleged on social media that Umahi owed her approximately N250 million for promotional and printing materials supplied during his time as party chairman. She further claimed that her demands for payment led to unwanted advances from the minister, threats, and eventual police action against her. In response, authorities arrested Ohiri in Lagos on cyberbullying charges related to her posts and transferred her to Abuja, where she was arraigned on defamation counts at a Wuse magistrate court and granted bail. The case gained attention when activist Omoyele Sowore confronted Umahi at police headquarters, decrying the treatment as an overreach...

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