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| Photo: BBC News |
We may be in for more drama in the days ahead, as Federal
Minister, Godswill Akpabio office, takes on Gbene Joi Nunieh one on one!
In a press statement making the rounds right now on the
internet, and signed by Anietie Ekong the SA Media to the Honourable Minister
of Niger Delta Affairs, Nunieh, who was the erstwhile Managing Director of
the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC may soon be staring law suits in
the face as Akpabio’s office claims that all her recent allegations against
him are trash and libelous! And further
more describes her press encounters as “a series of concerted vicious campaign of
calumny deviously orchestrated by her against his person ranging from
allegation of corruption, sexual and workplace harassments, pipelines bombings,
secret cult activities, abuse of office, amongst other lies peddled by her.”
In his further reaction to what the statement referred
to as “false, wayward allegations levied against his person by Ms. Nunieh,
especially the one bothering on sexual harassment,” Akpabio’s authorized
statement has it that, “let it be known that there is no scintilla of truth in
all the allegations peddled around by Ms. Nunieh. They are simply false! The
Honourable Minister did not at any time, place or circumstance make any form of
sexual advances to Ms. Nunieh, not even to put himself in a position or posture
suggestive of sexual advances towards Ms. Nunieh, or any female staff of his
Ministry or the NDDC.
“For the records, the Honourable Minister, Senator
Godswill Akpabio, CON is happily married and contented with his wife. Together
they are blessed with children, four (4) of whom are young women. The
Honourable Minister is an avid believer of the Affirmative Action and that was
visible in the appointments he made as a two (2) term Executive Governor of
Akwa Ibom State between 2007 and 2015. Under his watch, he • appointed several
women into various high level positions as Chairpersons of Local Government
Councils, Magistrates, Judges, Heads of Parastatals, Directors, Permanent
Secretaries, and Commissioners.
“He is the first Governor in Akwa Ibom State to have a
female Deputy Governor, was also the first to appoint female Chief Justices of
the High Court, recommended women for ministerial appointments one of whom was
the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, and supported for appointment
the first female Vice Chancellor of the only Federal University in the State
etc. He has always championed and still champions the cause of women and young
children.
“Whilst the Governor of Akwa-lbom State, the Honourable
Minister summoned the political will and effrontery to stop modern day slavery
in his state, where young women and children were ferried away from the State
to other states in Nigeria to be used for all sorts of menial chores as house
maids and most suffered unimaginable unethical trade malpractices and
maltreatments. He ensured that anyone caught in that trade was severely
punished. He signed the Child Rights Law to protect children, especially the
girl child from stigmatization and punishment by ordeal where some were
executed or banished on allegation of witchcraft. The Child Rights Law also
made primary and secondary education in Akwa Ibom State free and compulsory;
educating the girl child was his topmost priority.
“...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.”
The statement went on to question the reason why “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, if indeed the allegation was true.
Waiting 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") exposes her motive, especially at a time
when the momentum for the Forensic Audit is up.
“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?
“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.
“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. He
is committed to that mandate through the forensic audit of the NDDC and will
not be deterred or distracted from that goal. The aim of this campaign of
calumny is simpler get Senator Akpabio out, kill the forensic audit, and
continue business as usual at the NDDC.”
As it is, the die is cast, and apart from the forensic
audit, legal fireworks should be expected as both parties are hell-bent to
reduce the other to size or to shrinking bits!
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