Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has vehemently denied allegations that he was involved in the arson attack on the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex on October 29, 2023. These claims were made by former Rivers State Head of Service, George Nwaeke, who controversially accused both Fubara and Ehie of masterminding the fire.
Speaking during an interview on Sunday, Ehie categorically stated that he had no involvement in the events surrounding the fire. He explained, “It is very important to clarify that I was not, I had no hand, and was not part of the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Like everyone else, I woke up in the early hours of October 30, 2023, to hear about the incident.”
In response to Nwaeke’s allegations, Ehie announced that he had instructed his lawyers to initiate a criminal libel suit against the former Head of Service. “I will not join issues completely with George Nwaeke because I have already instructed my lawyers to file a criminal libel suit against him. I hope he is prepared to substantiate his claims and allegations,” Ehie said.
Furthermore, Ehie implied that the Speaker of the Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, should be questioned in connection with the fire. He claimed that the fire began shortly after the Speaker’s convoy was allowed entry into the complex by security officials on the evening of the incident.
Ehie also accused Nwaeke of betraying his principles and yielding to political pressure to fulfill his personal ambitions. He referred to Nwaeke’s wife’s public outcry over her husband’s disappearance the weekend following the allegations as a sign that Nwaeke had “betrayed his conscience” and “his family” in pursuit of wealth and influence.
The Chief of Staff further revealed WhatsApp messages in which Nwaeke appeared to be soliciting financial assistance shortly after his resignation from his position as the Head of Service. Ehie criticized Nwaeke for being discontented, stating, “George is not a contented man,” and suggesting that Nwaeke was not in the right state of mind when making these claims.
Regarding Nwaeke’s supposed relationship with Governor Fubara, Ehie refuted the idea that the former Head of Service had any special access to the Governor. He challenged Nwaeke to provide evidence of any private meetings with Fubara, saying, “George Nwaeke has never, he is not even on the protocol list of those who can have uninterrupted access to the governor. The security clearance of the Government House, which I supervise, is with the DSS. I challenge George Nwaeke to mention a specific day and time, from October 29, 2023, when he visited the Government House without prior clearance from the DSS and discussed matters with the Governor. There is no such record.”
The dispute between Ehie and Nwaeke highlights deep political divisions in Rivers State, with accusations and counterclaims swirling around the controversial fire at the state’s legislative complex.
