Four women-led advocacy organisations have passed a vote of confidence on the Minister of Works, David Nweze Umahi, calling for strict adherence to the rule of law in addressing allegations circulating against him.
At a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, the groups — Women Advocates for Responsible Governance (WARG), Women for Justice and Institutional Integrity (WJII), Coalition of Patriotic Nigerian Women (CPNW), and National Women Alliance for Rule of Law (NWARL) — insisted that the claims attributed to Mrs. Tracy Nicholas Ohiri should be resolved through proper judicial channels rather than through social media campaigns.
The organisations collectively argued that allegations involving a reported ₦24.5 million transaction said to have occurred in 2015 require verifiable documentation and legal scrutiny in a competent court of law.
Speaking to journalists, WARG National President, Dr. Amina Yusuf, expressed concern over what she described as the amplification of unsubstantiated claims capable of undermining governance. She emphasized that the matter was not about silencing any individual but about ensuring that serious accusations are supported by credible evidence.
According to her, transactions of such magnitude would ordinarily be backed by contracts, invoices, delivery acknowledgements, and traceable financial records. She questioned why, nearly a decade later, there appears to be no formal demand letter, civil action, or documented recovery effort if the claim was genuine.
Similarly, the Executive Director of WJII, Hajia Halimat Bello, stressed that institutional integrity depends on proof and due process. She maintained that commercial dealings involving millions of naira cannot exist without documentation and challenged the claimant to provide procurement records or evidence of steps taken toward civil recovery if the alleged supply took place.
The groups cautioned against emotional narratives overshadowing established legal standards, warning that sensational approaches could erode public trust in legitimate complaints.
Speaking on behalf of CPNW, Mrs. Folake Adeyemi described the allegation as inconsistent with established commercial practice, noting that it would be unusual for a multi-million naira transaction to remain undocumented and unlitigated for nearly ten years. She added that if the issue were strictly about debt recovery, appropriate legal remedies would likely have been pursued long ago.
Dr. Grace Onuoha, representing NWARL, highlighted what she described as the broader democratic implications of the matter. She urged all parties to file claims, present evidence, and allow the courts to determine the facts, cautioning against delivering verdicts in the court of public opinion.
Collectively, the four organisations emphasized that their position was guided by principle rather than personality. They reaffirmed the presumption of innocence and underscored the need for due process in matters involving public officials.
They called on Nigerians to avoid what they termed “trial by ambush” and to allow competent judicial institutions to thoroughly examine the claims.
The groups maintained that allegations, however serious, must ultimately be proven in court and not adjudicated through viral narratives.