ABUJA – Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has refuted allegations of sexual harassment made against him, asserting that there is “nothing inherently wrong with being accused of pursuing a woman.” He made these remarks to journalists on Saturday, responding to claims by a woman identified as Tracy Nither Ohiri.
Umahi vehemently denied the accusations, stating that he does not “owe anyone” and has never harassed anyone during his extensive public service career. “I want to thank a lot of you who know me very well. I owe nobody. And of course, I presided over both men and women, and nobody ever said I harassed him or her,” the Minister stated. He further emphasized his track record, adding, “I was governor for eight years, and I did fantastic infrastructure. So nobody could come and accuse me wrongly unless the person is being mischievous.”
Addressing the specific nature of the allegation, Umahi controversially suggested that merely being accused of pursuing a woman is not, by itself, an act of wrongdoing. He remarked, “There is nothing wrong to say, oh, you are chasing a woman. If it’s Senator Natasha that said I’m chasing her, my face would be bolder, not anyhow person that’ll accuse this handsome man of chasing her for 12 years.”
The Minister characterized the controversy as a “social media issue,” urging Nigerians to shift their focus to more significant global events. “It’s just for social media, but I think we can turn our attention to the war in Iran and allow Umahi to rest,” he concluded.
