APM Asks Tinubu To Suspend Umahi, Orders Independent Probe Into Mary Habila’s Death

The Allied People’s Movement (APM) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately suspend the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, and institute an independent investigation into the death of Mary Habila, a physiotherapist reportedly found dead at the minister’s residence in Ebonyi State.

The party said Umahi’s continued stay in office, alongside what it described as the Presidency’s silence over the incident, could undermine public confidence in the administration’s commitment to justice and accountability.

In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, the APM said suspending the minister pending the outcome of an investigation would help protect the integrity of the government and reassure Nigerians that no public official is above the law.

The party said its demand followed growing public concern over the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death, citing media reports alleging conflicting accounts of how she arrived at the minister’s residence, the circumstances of her death, and claims that pressure was mounted on her family to bury her without an autopsy.

According to the statement, reports indicated that Habila was allegedly brought from Kaduna State to Ebonyi on June 26 by an aide to the minister alongside another woman and was found dead the following morning.

The APM urged authorities to conduct an open, transparent and independent inquiry to establish the facts surrounding the incident.

It said the investigation should determine whether Habila was brought to the residence by the minister’s aide as reported, what transpired before her death, why the minister allegedly left the residence shortly after medical personnel arrived, and why the incident was not made public until it was reported by an investigative media outlet weeks later.

The party also referred to a viral video circulating on social media in which another woman allegedly accused persons at the same residence of sexual harassment, saying the development had heightened public concern and reinforced the need for a credible investigation.

“The continued stay of the minister in office while these serious questions remain unanswered only deepens the perception that the administration is unwilling to subject powerful public officials to the same standard of accountability expected of other Nigerians,” the statement said.

The APM expressed condolences to Habila’s family and said it would continue to advocate for justice, insisting that a transparent investigation was necessary to establish the truth and restore public confidence in the rule of law.