There’s nothing special in being accused of chasing a woman – Minister

There’s nothing special in being accused of chasing a woman – Minister

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has rejected allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him, insisting that he has never harassed anyone throughout his years in public office.

Umahi was reacting to claims made by a woman identified as Tracy Nither Ohiri, who accused him of sexual harassment.

Speaking with journalists on Saturday, the former governor defended his record and described the allegation as unfounded.

“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,” he said.

Reflecting on his time as governor, Umahi said his performance in office should serve as a reference point.

“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,” he added.

The minister maintained that throughout his public service career, he had worked with both male and female colleagues without any prior allegations of misconduct.

Addressing the accusation more directly, Umahi argued that being accused of pursuing a woman does not automatically amount to wrongdoing.

“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,” he said.

Umahi also downplayed the controversy, describing it as largely driven by social media narratives.

“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 said.