Former Acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Joy Nunieh, has dropped another bombshell in the series of allegations against former governor of Akwa Ibom state and current minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.
While appearing on Arise TV on Monday, Nunieh said she was sacked by the minister from office because she refused to do his alleged fraudulent bidding.
Nunieh alleged that Akpabio attempted to inflate the NDDC budget during her reign as Managing Director.
According to her, Akpabio wrote her to put a list of projects from the refugee commission in the budget of NDDC, knowing that the 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?”
Also while reacting to questions, Mrs. Nunieh, said that she is the first and only woman to have slapped Senator Godswill Akpabio over sexual harassment.
“I am the only woman in Nigeria to have slapped Akpabio,” she said, detailing the incident when Akpabio allegedly wanted to take advantage of her. He [Akpabio] wanted me to take a blood oath of secrecy in Abuja,” Nunieh added.
“My meetings with Akpabio were either in Apo or Meridian, those are his meeting points…so I slapped him… I am accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment.”
Recall that Akpabio had yesterday reacted to the allegations made against him by Nunieh, saying the former NDDC MD has character problem.
This was after Nunieh recently made some damning revelations about the Minister and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State on his handling of the Ministry.
Addressing the press after she appeared before Senate adhoc Committee investigating NDDC, Mrs. Nunieh recounted her ordeal at the hands of the Minister before she was removed as the NDDC MD.
Among other claims, Mrs. Nunieh said, “Nobody makes any payment in NDDC without Godswill Akpabio’s approval. When we first came, on the day of the inauguration, he said to me in the car, ‘Madam MD, if you don’t do what I say, the same pen with which I used to sign your paper is the same pen I’ll use to remove you.
“He said the first thing I should do when I get to Port Harcourt is to change the dollars in the NDDC account. I was scared to do that and he claimed that I have a poverty mentality that I’m afraid of money. All of you knew that he accused me of refusing to spend money. It is strange today, it’s about money,” she added.