The Minister of Works and former governor of Ebonyi State, Senator David Umahi, has responded to a viral video posted by an activist, Comrade Omoyele Sowore, saying that it was a calculated attempt to provoke him over an issue that is currently under police investigation.
Umahi said that the allegations referenced by Sowore were made by Mrs. Tracy Ohiri and relate to claims of assault and unpaid campaign materials.
The minister in a statement issued on Wednesday by his media aide, Francis Nwaze, said the footage showed how Sowore attempted to publicly confront him at the Force Headquarters in Abuja over allegations that have been in the public domain since 2025.
Umahi further said that the claims have been repeatedly circulated on social media through videos and written posts, adding that the accuser’s accounts were inconsistent and contradictory, a position he said had been widely noted by members of the public who have followed the developments.
The minister in the statement dismissed suggestions that the he deployed the Nigeria Police Force to settle personal grievances, saying that the police acted within their constitutional mandate.
According to Umahi; “The Police acted on a petition submitted by my lawyer, arrested her and invited me in line with standard procedure for statements”.
The statement therefore described Sowore’s action as a “public spectacle” and accused him of engaging in performative activism aimed at attracting attention rather than pursuing the truth.
Umahi said that he declined to engage in theatrics and instead chose to respect due process, saying; “As it stands, the matter is under police investigation, where facts will determine the outcome”.
The minister reaffirmed his commitment to transparency and the rule of law, adding that he would remain focused on delivering critical infrastructure projects and would not be distracted by calculated provocations.
