The minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, has finally reacted to the allegation of sexual harassment levelled against him by the former acting managing director, Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Ms. Joi Nunieh describing it as “nauseating” and “cheap blackmail.”
Recall that Nunieh, had in an interview with ARISE TV, the accused the minister of sexually harassing her in his guest house in Abuja adding that she smacked him.
“Why did he not tell Nigerians that I slapped him in his guest house at Apo? I slapped him because of his plan B. I slapped him. He tried to come on me. I am an Ogoni woman and nobody jokes with us. I showed Akpabio that Rivers women do not tolerate nonsense,” she stated.
But Akpabio, in a statement issued yesterday by his spokesman, Mr. Anietie Ekong, said Nunieh’s attacks are both personal and sponsored, adding that those afraid of the truth and who wish to bury it from seeing the light of the day are behind her vicious campaign of calumny.
“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,” he said.
The minister described as “appalling” that 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 17 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 exposes her motive, 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?
“The minister therefore felt compelled to react to the malicious attack on his person by Ms. Nunieh bordering on allegations of sexual harassment. The 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,” said Ekong.
He added: “For the records, the honourable minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio… is happily married and contented with his wife. Together they are blessed with children, four of whom are young women. The minister is an avid believer of the affirmative action and that was visible in the appointments he made as a two-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.”
The statement added that Akpabio was the first governor in Akwa Ibom State to have a female deputy governor, and was also the first to appoint female Chief Justices of the High Court.
“He recommended women for ministerial appointments one of whom was the minister of housing and urban development and supported for an 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.”
