Tracyniter “Tracy” Nicholas Ohiri, a businesswoman, has retracted her earlier allegations of sexual harassment and unpaid contracts against Dave Umahi, Nigeria’s Minister of Works.
In a video statement released on Wednesday, Ohiri said she reached the decision after “proper consultation with my family, friends and legal team, and a painstaking review of events of the past two weeks”.
Ohiri admitted that Mr Umahi, the former governor of Ebonyi State, “did not inform me that what happened to the Neyland engineers would happen to me if I visited Ebonyi State”.
She added that she does not personally know the engineers beyond what she read online and heard from others.
“I apologise to Engineer Dave Umahi for the embarrassment this allegation may have caused him and his family,” she said.
She also extended an apologies to her own family, friends, and the public, clarifying that she never claimed Mr Umahi tied a towel to meet her in a hotel room.
“I apologise if the allegations have been magnified or taken out of context,” she added.
On the financial dispute, Ohiri acknowledged there was no formal contract between her and the Minister.
“Although the job was done and delivered to his aides, they might have used the material for campaign purposes without informing him,” she explained, offering a “sincere apology for any misgivings this might have caused”.
The retraction follows widespread online attention and a prior rebuttal from Mr Umahi, whodismissed the claims as politically motivated.
Radio Nigeria