Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, Chief of Staff to the suspended Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has categorically denied accusations of his involvement in the fire that engulfed the Rivers State House of Assembly complex on October 29, 2023.
Ehie announced that he has directed his legal team to pursue a criminal libel lawsuit against the former Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, who alleged that both he and Fubara were complicit in the incident.
During a live television segment broadcasted in Port Harcourt on Sunday evening, Ehie, who previously served as Speaker of a faction of the State House of Assembly aligned with the suspended governor, stated, “It is crucial to clarify that I had no role in the destruction of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Like many others, I woke up on October 30, 2023, to the shocking news of the Assembly’s burning.”
He refrained from directly engaging with Nwaeke, emphasizing that he has already instructed his lawyers to take legal action against him for his allegations. “I expect him to be ready to provide evidence to support his claims,” Ehie remarked.
Ehie suggested that the Assembly’s Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, should be the focus of inquiries regarding the fire, asserting that the blaze erupted shortly after security personnel permitted the Speaker’s convoy entry into the complex.
The Chief of Staff accused Nwaeke of succumbing to political adversaries in pursuit of quick wealth. He referenced the distress expressed by Nwaeke’s wife over his sudden disappearance, portraying it as indicative of a man who has “betrayed his conscience” and his family for personal gain.
Ehie shared WhatsApp messages in which Nwaeke requested financial support shortly following his resignation as Head of Service the previous week. He characterized Nwaeke as “a discontented man” whose remarks do not reflect sound judgment.
Moreover, Ehie dismissed claims regarding Nwaeke’s close ties with Governor Fubara, asserting that the former Head of Service had not conducted any private meetings with the suspended governor. He challenged Nwaeke to specify a date and time of any visit to Fubara without the necessary security clearance.
“George Nwaeke has never been listed among those granted unrestricted access to the governor,” Ehie stated. “The records are maintained at the Government House, and the security clearance, which I supervise, is managed by the DSS. I challenge Nwaeke to provide evidence of any visit to the Government House since October 29, 2023, without prior clearance. There is no record to support his claims.”
