EDISON Ehie, the Chief of Staff to suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has narrated why he allegedly turned down N5 billion bribe to coordinate the impeachment of his principal.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Ehie claimed he has evidence of the bribe offer stored on his phone.
“I can also open my phone to show you, in the beginning of October 2023, when they approached me with a bribe of N5 billion. It is here in my phone but I turned it down.
“It was for impeachment. It’s here. I have it and I have printed it and distributed it, in case, in their evil imagination, they decide to attack me. I already have a son and a brother,” he said.
Ehie said the offer was made while he was serving as the majority leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The Chief of Staff also denied claims that he orchestrated the October 30, 2023, bombing of the Rivers Assembly complex on Fubara’s orders.
The allegation was made by a former Head of Service in the state, George Nwaeke, during a press conference last Friday.
Nwaeke had alleged that he witnessed a bag of money being handed over to Ehie at the Government House to execute the operation, though he admitted he did not know the amount inside.
Dismissing the claims as false and politically motivated, Ehie said, “It is very important to clarify that I had no hand and was not part of the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Like everyone else, I woke up in the early hours of 30th of October 2023 to hear of the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”
Ehie stated that he had instructed his lawyers to file a lawsuit against Nwaeke for criminal libel.
“I will not join issues completely with Mr. George Nwaeke because I have already instructed my lawyers to file an issue of criminal libel against him, and I hope he is very prepared to substantiate his claims and his allegations,” he said.
He further alleged that Nwaeke had sought financial assistance from him on the same day he resigned as head of service.
Rivers State has been in turmoil since Fubara’s fallout with his predecessor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike.
On March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state and suspended both the governor and his deputy.
Subsequently, on March 26, the sole administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas, suspended all political officeholders in the state.