I was bribe to mastermind Fubara’s impeachment – Edison Ehie

Edison Ehie, the chief of staff to the suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has alleged that there were attempts to bribe him with N5 billion to mastermind the impeachment of his principal.

Ehie spoke on ‘Sunday Politics’, a programme on Channels Television. Ehie, who was factional speaker of the Rivers assembly until January 2024, added that he still has evidence of the bribe offer 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,” he said.

“It was for impeachment. It’s here. I have it and I have printed it and distributed it, incase in their evil imagination, they decide to attack me. I already have a son and a brother.”

He said the offer was made during his stint as majority leader of the Rivers house of assembly.

‘I’LL SUE NWAEKE FOR LIBEL’

Ehie also denied orchestrating the October 30, 2023 bombing of the Rivers assembly complex on Fubara’s orders, as alleged by George Nwaeke, ex-head of service in Rivers.

During a press conference last Friday, Nwaeke claimed that the suspended governor directed Ehie to burn down the Rivers assembly complex.

Nwaeke alleged that he was at the government house “when a bag of money was handed over to Edison for that operation, though I do not know the amount inside”.

During the programme, the chief of staff dismissed the allegation as false and politically motivated.

“It is very important to clarify that I was not, I had no hand and was not part of the burning down of the Rivers state house of assembly,” he said.

“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.

“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 George Nwaeke and I hope he is very prepared to substantiate his claims and his allegations.”

Ehie said he has evidence of Nwaeke seeking financial assistance from him on the same day he resigned as head of service.

Rivers has been embroiled in political crisis since Fubara fell out with Nyesom Wike, his predecessor and current minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

On March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state and suspended the governor and his deputy.

On March 26, Ibok-Ete Ibas, the sole administrator of the state, suspended all political office holders in Rivers.