By Muhammad Mamman
A Nigerian businesswoman, Dave Umahi, has publicly apologised to the minister of works after retracting earlier allegations of sexual harassment and unpaid contracts that had triggered weeks of public controversy.
The businesswoman, Tracyniter (Tracy) Nicholas Ohiri, issued a video statement on Wednesday, admitting that some of the claims she previously made against the former governor of Ebonyi State were inaccurate. 
In the statement, Ohiri said she decided to withdraw the allegations after consulting her family, friends and legal advisers, and reviewing events surrounding the dispute.
“I admit that Engineer Dave Umahi, the former governor of Ebonyi State and current minister of works, did not inform me that what happened to the Neyland engineers would happen to me if I visited Ebonyi State,” she said in the video message. 
She also clarified that contrary to earlier claims circulated online, she and the minister never met in a hotel room — a key detail previously linked to the sexual harassment allegation.
Controversy that sparked national debate
The dispute between Ohiri and Umahi had drawn widespread attention after the businesswoman accused the minister of sexual harassment, intimidation and failing to pay her for campaign promotional materials allegedly supplied during his 2014 governorship bid. 
She claimed the unpaid contract was initially worth about ₦25.4 million but had grown to over ₦300 million due to accumulated interest. 
Umahi consistently denied the allegations, describing them as baseless and insisting that he owed no such debt. 
The controversy escalated after Ohiri was arrested and later arraigned before a magistrate court in Abuja on defamation charges linked to the accusations. 
Legal and political fallout
The dispute spilled beyond social media into Nigeria’s political space, drawing reactions from civil society groups and public figures, including activist Omoyele Sowore, who publicly confronted the minister during the controversy. 
Human rights groups also called for an independent probe, arguing that allegations involving a serving cabinet minister should be thoroughly investigated to maintain public confidence. 
Despite the apology and retraction, it remains unclear whether ongoing legal proceedings connected to the case will continue in court.
The minister has previously said he would allow the law to take its course, maintaining that the accusations were an attempt to tarnish his reputation. 
