Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has accused political opponents of attempting to bribe him with N5 billion to facilitate the impeachment of his principal. Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Ehie revealed that he had evidence of the bribe offer on his phone. He explained that in early October 2023, he was approached with the N5 billion bribe for the purpose of impeaching Fubara. Ehie claimed to have stored the details on his phone and even printed copies, distributing them as a precaution in case there were any attempts to harm him or his family.

At the time of the alleged offer, Ehie was serving as the majority leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly. In addition to this claim, he denied accusations that he was involved in the bombing of the Rivers State Assembly on October 30, 2023. These allegations were made by George Nwaeke, the former Head of Service in the state, who alleged that he had witnessed a bag of money being handed to Ehie at the Government House for the operation, although he was unsure of the amount. Ehie strongly refuted these allegations, describing them as politically motivated and false. He emphasized that, like many others, he had learned about the destruction of the Assembly on the morning of October 30 and had no involvement in the incident.

Furthermore, Ehie revealed that Nwaeke had requested financial assistance from him on the same day he resigned as Head of Service. The political situation in Rivers State has been increasingly turbulent, following the fallout between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. This conflict escalated on March 18, 2025, when President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency, leading to the suspension of both the governor and his deputy. Later, on March 26, the sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, suspended all political officeholders.