Nigerian businesswoman Tracy Nicolas Ohiri has issued a public apology to the Minister of Works, David Umahi, retracting her earlier allegations of sexual harassment and financial indebtedness.
In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), Ohiri explicitly stated that Umahi “never asked me for sex,” marking a dramatic reversal from her previous claims that had sparked widespread controversy.
The apology comes amid ongoing scrutiny following Ohiri’s initial accusations in late February, where she claimed Umahi owed her more than N300 million for campaign promotional materials she allegedly supplied during his political tenure.
She had also alleged that the minister made unwanted romantic advances, including visiting her hotel room wrapped in a towel and seeking intimacy. According to her earlier claims, she refused the advances, after which she alleged that Umahi blocked her communications and orchestrated her arrest.
The allegations gained traction on social media after videos circulated showing Ohiri recounting the incidents in detail.
Her situation escalated when she was reportedly arrested in Lagos on allegations related to cyberbullying and later detained in Abuja. She subsequently appeared in court alongside activist and politician Omoyele Sowore, drawing public attention to issues surrounding freedom of expression and online speech.
Following her release, reports indicated that Ohiri deleted several posts related to the allegations from her social media accounts — a development supporters of Umahi cited as proof that the claims were unfounded.
In the apology video dated March 11, Ohiri appeared emotional while addressing the camera. Dressed in a yellow outfit with blue-tinted glasses, she expressed remorse and clarified that the minister never demanded sexual favours from her.
The video, which runs for about two minutes, includes captions apologising directly to “Senator David Umahi, CON.” During the recording, she pleaded for forgiveness, stating that the minister was not indebted to her and attributing her earlier claims to misinformation and external pressures.
The clip ends with Ohiri visibly distressed, a detail that has sparked speculation among some viewers online about whether the apology may have been made under pressure. One social media user commented that “something is happening here if you watch well,” reflecting scepticism about the circumstances surrounding the retraction.
Umahi, who has consistently dismissed the accusations as politically motivated and baseless, responded through his office by urging the public to move past the controversy and focus on national development priorities.
According to his aides, the minister maintained that the claims were an attempt to damage his reputation, at one point comparing the situation humorously to unrelated celebrity controversies.
The episode also mirrors a separate incident in which another individual previously claimed Umahi owed him N7 million from their school days, only to later retract the allegation and apologise publicly.
Legal experts say Ohiri’s case could still involve ongoing investigations related to defamation or cybercrime laws, potentially shaping how personal disputes involving public figures are handled in Nigeria’s increasingly influential digital space.
