Senator Akpabio speaks on Nunieh’s alleged sexual harassment, others

• Described allegations as nauseating and very cheap blackmail
• Instructs lawyer to commence legal battle

Emmanuel Thomas l Wednesday, July 15, 2020

LAGOS, Nigeria – Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has finally opened up on series of allegations leveled against him by former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Gbene Joi Nunieh.

The allegations ranged from nepotism, corruption, sexual and workplace harassments, pipelines bombings, secret cult activities and abuse of office.

In the reply signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Anietie Ekong, the minister described the insinuation by Joi Nunieh that the minister sexually harassed her as nothing but total fabrication.

“The Honourable Minister did not at any time, place or circumstance make any form of sexual advances to Ms. Nunieh, especially the one bothering on sexual harassment. To start with, let it be known that there is no scintilla of truth in all the allegations peddled around by Ms. Nunieh”, he said

The minister queried why the former acting MD would wait till July 10th and 13th 2020 when the National Assembly appears to be probing some of her actions as the Acting Managing Director of the Interim Management Committee (“IMC”) with a view to expose her motive before she started making the allegations.

“The Honourable Minister also finds it appalling that, Ms. Nunieh, never deemed it fit to report the alleged incident to the police at the earliest opportunity she had, before, during or after her tenor as the Acting Managing Director on 17th February, 2020.

“The Honourable Minister therefore finds the said allegation nauseating and a very cheap blackmail, for Ms. Nunieh to suggest or insinuate that he sexually harassed her, while she was the Acting Managing Director of the NDDC”, stressing that the Minister has never hidden his admiration and respect for his wife, Mrs. Ekaete Akpabio, Children and sisters and therefore felt compelled to react to the malicious attack on his person by Ms. Nunieh bothering on allegations of sexual harassment”.

On the alleged contract racketeering, bombing of oil pipelines, corruption/diversion of funds,  he explained that the has stated several times and at various fora that he is committed to that mandate through the forensic audit of the NDDC and will not be deterred or distracted from that goal.

According to  him, the aim of “the campaign of calumny” is simply to get Senator Akpabio out, kill the forensic audit, and continue business as usual at the NDDC.

“The Honourable Minister has a mandate from Mr. President, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR to unearth alleged looting and financial misappropriation that had gone on at the NDDC since its inception in 2001.

“There is no doubt that Ms. Nunieh’s attacks are both personal and sponsored. Those afraid of the truth, and who wish to bury it from seeing the light of the day, are strenuously behind Ms. Nunieh’s vicious campaign of calumny, especially at a time when the momentum for the Forensic Audit Investigation of the NDDC is heating up and the truth is about to be unveiled for all to see?

“The critical question is who is afraid of the Forensic Audit at the NDDC? Who is Afraid of the Truth?”, he queried.

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He explained that  the Minister’s initial attitude was to allow his lawyers and the judicial system vindicate him of the false allegations, but that he is compelled to react to some of the wayward allegations levied against his person by Ms. Nunieh.

He explained that Akpabio has only awarded three contracts till date- the appointment of the lead forensic auditors which was approved by the Federal Executive Council the emergency procurement contract for COVID-19 intervention in the Niger Delta Area ; which due to its urgency had his interim approval and Presidential approval in line with the Bureau of Public Procurement Act and the award of Vehicles procurement duly approved by the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Federal Executive Council but yet to be consummated.

He explained that the NDDC’s Account is domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria and that every inflow and outflow is known and traceable.

“NDDC gets its revenue in Dollars which is paid directly to its Treasury Single Account (TSA) with the Central Bank of Nigeria. It is therefore impossible for any sum of money belonging to the NDDC with the CBN including the several figures bandied around as missing to be missing”, he said.

Akpabio explained  that unlike in the past where the NDDC had over three hundred (300) bank accounts in different commercial banks, that practice had since changed under the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, which gave full effect to the application of the Treasury Single Account and the NDDC now has its accounts with the CBN.

The Honourable Minister, he explained does not give verbal instructions to anybody,  adding that all instructions are in writing and in response to a request from the Commission.

The Minister denied directing Ms. Nunieh to remove Mr. Kaltungo, describing the allegation as false, adding that the minister’s track record marks him out as a totally detribalized politician and one of the best friends of Northern Nigeria.

On compulsory leave for some category of staff, he explained that the Minister was informed by the NDDC management that over twenty three (23) top Management Staff, from various part of Nigeria including the Niger Delta region, who have evaded leave in the last ten (10) years or had the tendency to influence negatively the ongoing forensic audit and were recommended for mandatory leave by the lead forensic auditors.

“They are still staff of the Commission currently receiving their monthly salaries and benefits”, he said. He said the minister has instructed his lawyers to seek necessary redress in a Court of competent Jurisdiction on his behalf over the defamatory statements made by Ms. Nunieh and  encouraged all Nigerians to hold their leaders to account and take their time to sift between the chaff and the substance before embarking on far reaching allegations, opinions and views.