Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sim Fubara, has claimed that he was offered a ₦5 billion bribe to back the impeachment of his principal while he was serving as the Majority Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Ehie disclosed this information during his appearance on Channels Television on Monday, March 31, asserting that he possesses evidence of the bribe on his phone.
“I can also open my phone to show you, in the beginning of October 2023, they approached me with a bribe of N5 billion. It is here in my phone,
“It was for impeachment. It’s here. I have it and I have printed it and distributed it, in case, in their evil imagination, they decide to attack me. I already have a son and a brother,” he said
On the night of October 29, 2023, an explosion occurred at the state Assembly complex, causing significant disruption.
This incident highlighted the strained relationship between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The day after the explosion, on October 30, the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, along with 26 lawmakers loyal to Wike, took action by suspending Ehie and three other lawmakers who supported Fubara. They accused them of being responsible for the explosion.
Additionally, Amaewhule and the 26 lawmakers began an impeachment process against Governor Fubara, claiming he had abused his power and committed gross misconduct.
However, this impeachment effort was halted when supporters of the suspended governor intervened to stop it.