The suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s chief of staff, Mr. Edison Ehie, has denied any responsibility for the October 29, 2023, explosion at the Rivers State House of Assembly chambers.
In a Sunday guest appearance on Channels Television, Ehie underlined that the only person with access to the Assembly’s grounds after business hours or on the weekends is Speaker of the House Martin Amaewhule.
He demanded that questions be asked of Amaewhule concerning the explosion that occurred in the legislative chambers.
Ehie stated, “It is very important to clarify that I was not, I had no hand in the burning down of the Rivers State Assembly.”
The Speaker (Amaewhule) was granted access to the Assembly complex on the evening of October 29, 2023 (the day of the explosion), according to Ehie, who also disclosed that ten witnesses, including senior police officers, testified before a Federal High Court in Abuja, confirming that they saw His convoy.
Ehie was an accomplice in the explosion, according to former Rivers State Head of Civil Service George Nweke, who said on Friday that Governor Fubara was to blame.
Reacting to Nweke’s allegations, Ehie said, “I will not join issues completely with Mr. George Nwaeke because I have already instructed my lawyers to file an issue of criminal libel against George Nwaeke, and I hope he is very prepared to substantiate his claims and his allegations.”
Ehie continued: “Clearly, the world has seen that George Nwaeke wasn’t in his right frame of mind.”
Nwaeke was accused by the Chief of Staff of giving in to political pressure in order to pursue financial gain.
Nwaeke was described as a guy who had “betrayed his conscience” and his family “to own the world,” citing the public outcry over her husband’s abrupt absence over the weekend.
In addition, Ehie purportedly showed WhatsApp messages purporting to show Nwaeke requesting money soon after leaving his position as Head of Service last week, claiming that Nwaeke was not satisfied.
He minimised Nwaeke’s contribution to Rivers State governance, saying the former head of the civil service had little to no influence.
Ehie claims that Nwaeke and the suspended governor never met in private.
He asked Nwaeke to provide the exact time and date of his unapproved visit to Fubara.
Ehie stated, “George Nwaeke has never, he is not even in the protocol list of those who can have uninterrupted access to the governor.
“The records are in the Government House. The security clearance of the Government House, which I superintend or supervise, is with the DSS.
READ ALSO: Rivers Crisis: Wike, Fubara Must Disclose True Cause – Governor’s Aide, Omotsegunwa
“I challenge George Nwaeke to mention from the 29th of October 2023, like he claimed, to the other day when he visited Government House, either at odd hours without prior clearance from the DSS, to say that he discussed with the governor. Let him show the record. There is none.”
The Sole Administrator, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Abas, confirmed that the new structure was 80% complete and that the contractor had received full funding, according to Ehie, who also claimed that President Bola Tinubu had been misinformed about the state Assembly complex’s ongoing reconstruction.
Tinubu had previously implied that Governor Fubara had neglected to take action on the demolished Assembly structure for 14 months in an attempt to cripple the legislative branch of government.
