Rivers Crisis: Chief Of Staff Alleges N5 Billion Bribe Offer To Impeach Fubara

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to the suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has revealed that he was offered a staggering N5 billion bribe to orchestrate the impeachment of his principal.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Ehie claimed to have evidence of the bribe offer stored on his phone, which he has also printed and distributed for safety.

The alleged bribe attempt reportedly occurred in October 2023, while Ehie was serving as the majority leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“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,” Ehie stated.

Ehie also addressed accusations made by former Head of Service George Nwaeke, who claimed that Ehie had orchestrated the October 30, 2023, bombing of the Rivers Assembly complex on Fubara’s orders.

Nwaeke alleged he witnessed a bag of money being handed to Ehie at the Government House for the operation, though he admitted he did not know the amount inside.

Dismissing these claims as politically motivated, Ehie declared, “I had no hand and was not part of the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”

He has instructed his lawyers to file a criminal libel lawsuit against Nwaeke, whom he accused of seeking financial assistance from him on the same day he resigned as head of service.

The political landscape in Rivers State has been turbulent since Governor Fubara’s fallout with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

The crisis escalated when President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency on March 18, suspending both the governor and his deputy.

On March 26, the sole administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas, further suspended all political officeholders in the state.