NDDC: I Have A Wife And I Am Okay With Her – Akpabio Replies Former NDDC MD, Joy Nunieh Over Alleged Sexual Assault

Anietie Ekong, media aide to Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, has defended his principal over alleged sexual harassment to Miss Joy Nunieh.

According to him, the claims by the former acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC was untrue, noting that his principal is happily married and will not engaged himself in such act.

The former Governor through his aide said it is a wonder that Nunieh never did mentioned this before until now that the Nigeria lawmakers are probing the NDDC.

Akpabio in the statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday, July 15, debunked Miss Nunieh’s allegation, said he is well satisfied with his wife.

According to the statement, Akpabio has directed his lawyers to seek necessary “redress in a court of competent jurisdiction on his behalf over the defamatory statements made by Ms. Nunieh.”

“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,” the statement reads in part.

“For the records, the Honourable Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON is happily married and content with his wife. Together they are blessed with children, four of whom are young women. The honourable minister is an avid believer of 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.

The former governor recounts his support for women and several appointments he provisioned for them even while he was a governor.

“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,” Ekong noted.

He added, “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.”

The aide noted that Nunieh’s allegations are nothing but a self-sponsored ‘lies’.

“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.”

He again boasted that the whole truth would be unveiled once the whole investigation is wrapped up.

He said, “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.”