Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has alleged that he was offered a N5 billion bribe to facilitate the governor’s impeachment.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Ehie claimed to have evidence of the bribe on his phone, stating, “I can show you messages from early October 2023 when they approached me with a N5 billion offer. I have printed and distributed the evidence in case anything happens to me.”
At the time of the alleged bribe, Ehie was the majority leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly. He also denied accusations that he orchestrated the October 30, 2023, bombing of the Rivers Assembly complex on Governor Fubara’s orders. The accusation was made by George Nwaeke, a former Rivers State Head of Service, during a press conference.
Dismissing the claim, Ehie stated, “I had no involvement in the burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Like everyone else, I woke up to the news on October 30.”
Rather than engage in a public exchange with Nwaeke, Ehie announced that he has instructed his lawyers to file a lawsuit for criminal libel, saying, “I hope he is prepared to substantiate his allegations in court.”
The political turmoil in Rivers State deepened when President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency on March 18, suspending Governor Fubara and his deputy. On March 26, the newly appointed sole administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, suspended all political officeholders in the state.
