Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio Minister of Niger Delta, has been accused of financial impropriety by a former Acting Managing Director of the commission.
Dr. Gbene Joy Nunieh alleges that Akpabio deceived members of the public with the false reason for her sack from the office.
She revealed that the former governor sacked her because she refused to swear to a secret oath.
According to reports, Senator Akpabio had alleged that Nunieh’s sack bordered on sharp practices and unverified contracts payment running into billions of Naira but she denied the Minister’s allegation, saying he wanted her to take an oath of Secrecy to perpetrate corrupt practices so as to stop her from spilling the beans.
She also called the Minister a pathological liar and disclosed that her sack was also due to her blunt refusal to approve unusual payments for his numerous contracts; without verification from Akwa Ibom State and his other loyal contractors.
In a media interview, Nunieh challenged Senator Akpabio to tell the media the real reason for which she was sacked stressing that the allegations that she was sacked due to sharp practices in NDDC were unfounded and baseless.
She also disclosed that when she left the saddle as Ag. MD, she left billions of naira in the coffers of the NDDC.
Nunieh further alleged that the Minister wanted her to divert NDDC funds to sponsor his presidential ambition in 2023, which she bluntly refused.
“The crux of my problem with Senator Akpabio was simply because of my refusal to take an oath of secrecy; and pay his phoney Akwa Ibom contractors.
“My other offence was that I turned down Akpabio’s request to sponsor his 2023 presidential ambition; with the commonwealth of the people of Niger Delta; meant to carry out developmental projects in the oil-producing, but suffering communities.
“I could not join Akpabio to steal the money of Niger Delta people as I am the highest traditional title holder in Ogoniland in Rivers State; and I could not please Akpabio and offend the Almighty God”, she said.
Nunieh further revealed that “Akpabio wanted to compel me to swear to an oath of secrecy; and loyalty in the presence of other two top NDDC male officials.
“He tried to do that on about three consecutive times; and I looked at his face and bluntly told him no, that the God I serve is bigger than his secret oath.
I refused to join him in his oath of secrecy to cover him by signing fake contract documents.
He has been running a campaign of calumny to discredit or tarnish my hard-earned reputation.
I know why I am saying this because is morally unfit to hold any sensitive public office in the country.”
Reacting to the allegations levelled against him by the sacked MD, Senator Akpabio said: ”I sacked her because she did not perform up to expectation; by paying unverified contracts money running to billions of Naira.
“Majority of the contracts are water hyacinth distilling. Some are without due process. She was bringing embarrassment to the commission; which I am bent on sanitizing through forensic auditing.”
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