Former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and current Chief of Staff to the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, Hon. Edison Ehie, has made shocking allegations that he was offered a bribe of N5 billion to support the impeachment of Governor Fubara while he was still serving as Speaker of the State Assembly.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV, Ehie explained that despite the substantial offer, he refused to betray Fubara, stressing that the Governor is a man of peace who believes in resolving conflicts in a manner that promotes unity. Ehie clarified that the bribe was specifically intended to influence the impeachment process against Fubara, but he was resolute in turning it down.
In his own words, Ehie remarked, "The governor is a man of peace. The governor decided to follow the way of conflict resolution. In October, I was approached with N5 billion bribe against the governor, but I refused. The bribe was for impeachment, but I turned it down." His decision to reject the bribe has stirred controversy and provided insight into the political tensions surrounding Governor Fubara's administration.
While addressing other claims made by former Rivers State Head of Service, George Nwaeke, who accused Ehie of being involved in the bombing of the Rivers State Assembly, Ehie strongly denied any such involvement. He vehemently stated that he had no connection to the bombing incident and was not privy to any information regarding it. Instead, he accused Nwaeke of being financially motivated to make such false claims about him.
Ehie clarified, "It’s very important to clarify that I was not, had no hand in the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly. I have no hand, not privy, no information. We just woke up and heard that the Assembly had been bombed. We had finished screening commissioners and left the complex. We didn’t adjourn to October 30, 2023, when we finished sitting. October 29 was a Sunday." These remarks came as part of his defense against the allegations made by Nwaeke, which he firmly rejected.
Ehie also pointed out that security operatives investigating the bombing incident had mentioned seeing the Speaker’s convoy leaving the Assembly, which seemed to suggest some connection to the event. However, Ehie disputed these claims, stating that after 6 pm, only the Speaker had access to the complex, making it impossible for anyone else to be there at the time.
In a further revelation, Ehie shared that Nwaeke had approached Governor Fubara for financial assistance just one day after submitting his resignation from office. He claimed that on March 25, 2025, Nwaeke sought help from the governor, asking for money and claiming that he was in need of housing and other resources. Ehie suggested that Nwaeke’s lack of contentment led him to make this request, even after resigning from his position.
Ehie added, "George Nwaeke resigned on March 24, 2025. By Tuesday, March 25, 2025, he was appealing that the governor should give him money, that he doesn’t have a better house and other helps. The problem is that of contentment. He is not a contented man. He was requesting for money." Despite this appeal, Ehie noted that Governor Fubara did not grant Nwaeke's request, as the former Head of Service had already stepped down and was no longer in a position to receive such assistance.
The issue of the reconstruction of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, which was also brought up by Nwaeke, was addressed by Ehie. He explained that the reconstruction was nearly completed, with about 80% of the work finished, and that the contractor had been fully paid for the project. He further confirmed that the administrator who visited the complex also attested to the fact that the reconstruction was close to completion, putting to rest any concerns about the delay in rebuilding the Assembly complex.
Ehie’s revelations have sparked a series of debates and reactions, with many questioning the motives behind the bribe offer and the political dynamics surrounding the alleged bombing and ongoing issues within Rivers State’s governance. As the political drama continues to unfold, all eyes remain on how the situation will develop in the coming weeks.