Lawyer Denies Wrongdoing, Threatens Legal Action Against Businesswoman Over Allegations

Human rights lawyer and activist Marshal Abubakar has publicly refuted allegations made by businesswoman Tracy Ohiri, asserting that his actions throughout their dealings were entirely lawful and conducted in good faith. Abubakar stated that he played a crucial role in mobilizing key individuals, including Ireti Kingibe and activist Omoyele Sowore, along with other concerned citizens, to prevent Ohiri from facing unlawful detention and to ensure her right to free expression was protected.

He emphasized that persistent legal and civic interventions were instrumental in securing her bail, thereby averting her imprisonment. The lawyer further revealed that subsequent mediation efforts exposed significant discrepancies in Ohiri's claims, particularly the absence of any tangible proof to substantiate a contractual relationship or service provision involving David Umahi.

According to Abubakar, despite ample opportunities, no evidence was presented to validate the accusations. He clarified that as part of an effort to resolve the matter peacefully, a goodwill arrangement was facilitated, which included a payment of $70,000 to Ohiri. This sum, he stressed, was purely a gesture of goodwill and not an admission of liability or compensation for any services rendered.

Abubakar also made it clear that he personally did not gain financially from this arrangement. Expressing his disappointment, he accused Ohiri of persisting with false claims and resorting to threats and distortion of facts, even after attempts at resolution. The human rights lawyer concluded by announcing his intention to pursue legal action to safeguard his reputation and professional integrity.

Earlier, the businesswoman had alleged that her initial retraction of claims against the Minister of Works was coerced and that she had been promised $70,000 which was never paid. In a recent video that has circulated online, Ohiri claimed that Abubakar compelled her to record the retraction, assuring her that Umahi had agreed to compensate her prior to the video's release. She stated that the agreement stipulated payment would be made before the video was published, but this did not occur, leading her to question the release of the video.

Ohiri further alleged that she was isolated and subjected to intimidation during the process, claiming Abubakar made sure she could not communicate with anyone and kept issuing threats. She has called on the Nigerian Bar Association to investigate Abubakar's conduct, which she described as unethical.

Previously, Ohiri had accused Umahi of owing her approximately N250 million for promotional and printing services purportedly rendered during his 2015 governorship campaign in Ebonyi State. She also leveled accusations of sexual harassment and intimidation, which the minister has consistently denied. Ohiri was subsequently arrested in Lagos on charges related to cyberbullying stemming from her social media posts and was taken to Abuja, where she was detained by the FCT police command. She was later brought before a magistrate court in Wuse on a defamation charge and granted bail.

The case drew significant public attention when activist Omoyele Sowore confronted the minister at the police headquarters, criticizing what he termed the criminalization of a civil dispute. Umahi, in his defense, refuted both the debt accusation and the claims of sexual harassment, dismissing them as baseless. He stated that as party chairman, he owed no one and that no one had ever accused him of harassment. He also expressed indifference to social media narratives.

Amidst the controversy, Ohiri had released a video retracting her allegations and apologizing to the minister and his family, citing consultations with her family, friends, and legal counsel. In that video, she indicated the absence of a formal agreement with the minister and suggested that any materials she provided might have been utilized by aides without his direct knowledge. However, her latest statements challenge this retraction, as she now asserts it was made under duress and contingent upon an unfulfilled financial settlement.