The immediate past Managing Director of the interventionist agency, Joy Nunieh, has launched another round of fierce battle against Minister of Niger
The immediate past Managing Director of the interventionist agency, Joy Nunieh, has launched another round of fierce battle against Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, whom she accused of massive corruption.
Speaking during a live interview session on Arise TV on Monday, Nunieh accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her in his (Akpabio)Abuja guest house. Her words: “Why did he not tell Nigerians that I slapped him in his guest house at Apo? I am the only woman that slapped Akpabio. He thought he could come up on me. He tried to harass me sexually,” she said.
“I slapped him because of his Plan B. I am an Ogoni woman and nobody jokes with us. I showed Akpabio that Rivers girls cannot be cajoled with money or promise of making me substantive MD.”
When the Arise TV crew asked her specifically if by referring to Plan B, she was accusing Akpabio of rape or sexual harassment, Nuineh said it was more of sexual harassment.
“Yes he sexually harassed me. Women face these type of pressures. Akpabio has touched my dignity, by talking about four men. He harassed me, I did not report because I could handle it.”
Continuing, she said: “Why was he interested in my love life saying that I married six husbands, does he want to become my seventh husband?”
The hot exchange of words between the duo got worsened at the weekend, following revelations at the ongoing open investigative hearing by the Senate regarding the alleged reckless spending to the tune of N40 billion. Nunieh, denied that the agency spent N22.6 billion under her stewardship, just as she alleged Akpabio, asked her to do his bidding or be removed from office.
She said the minister directed her to include some projects from the refugee commission in the budget of the NDDC.
“Akpabio wrote me to put a list of projects from the refugee commission in the budget of NDDC. Refugee commission is another federal government commission for IDPs. How do you tell me to put some of their projects in the NDDC budget when we have so many things to do in the Niger Delta? How do you explain that?” she sasked.
Nunieh and Akpabio have made allegations against each other following the activities of the senate ad hoc panel investigating the alleged mismanagement of N40 billion by the interim management committee (IMC) of the NDDC. Akpabio had told the panel that he knew nothing about the expenditure of the NDDC under Nunieh because she refused to give him briefings.
But Nunieh alleged that the minister engineered her removal for failing to follow his illegal orders.
“When we first came to the NDDC, on the day of going for the inauguration, he told me in the car that Madam MD, If you don’t do what I say, the same pen which I use to sign your letter, it will be the same pen I will use to remove you,” she had said.
Nunieh also alleged that Akpabio asked her to change the dollars in the NDDC account; sack the head of the legal team who is from the north; remove all directors who refused to follow his instructions and also to implicate Peter Nwaoboshi, chairman of the senate committee on NDDC.
However, Akpabio has denied the allegation, insisting that Nunieh was removed from office because of insubordination and also because she lacked the requisite qualification to occupy the office, as she had no National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, discharge certificate.
Answering a question on her NYSC certificate, Nunieh disclosed that she did her service in Kwara State.
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Here is a video of Godswill Akpabio attempting to defend himself while deflecting
