Scandalous: Former Acting MD Of NDDC Says Akpabio Sacked Her For Refusing To Take Oath Of Secrecy

By Akinwale Kasali

Former Akwa Ibom State Governor and Minster for the Nigerian Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, Minister for Niger Delta,  is alleged to have sacked  the former  Acting Managing Director of the NDDC for some weird and scandalous reasons.

The former Acting Managing Director, Dr. Gbene Joy Nunieh, revealed that she was sacked for refusing to swear to a secret oath .

An angry Nunieh, speaking for the first time since her unceremonious sack alleges that Minister was the architect of her sack.

She accuses Akpabio of deceiving  members of the public with the false reason  for her sack from the office.

Senator Akpabio had alleged that Nunieh’s sack bordered on sharp practices and unverified contracts payment running into Billions of Naira.

But  Nunieh has now denied  the Minister’s allegation, saying that the Minister wanted her to take an oath of Secrecy to perpetrate corrupt practices so as to stop her from spilling the beans.

She called the Minister  a pathological liar.

According to her, Senator Akpabio wanted to compel her to swear to an oath of secrecy and loyalty.

She  further alleged that in one of their peace meetings in Abuja, Senator Akpabio, as part of his conditions,  wanted her to accept the oath of secrecy and loyalty in the presence of other members, adding that she turned down the request as it was against her Christian faith.

She 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  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 was 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 common wealth 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 serve God and no amount of calumny will do me any harm. Let me use this privilege to tell Nigerians and the Inspector General of Police that from this moment, if any fly perches on my skin and causes any physical damage to my skin and my immediate family members, Senator Godswill should be held responsible.

“I know why I am saying this because Akpabio   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, in an interview, 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.

“Dr. Joy Nuneih was not sacked because of NYSC certificate forgery as it was peddled in some media. Thank you for calling to confirm your stories before publishing.

“I will forward to you her NYSC certified true copy from the NYSC board to tell you that her sack had no bearing or connection with NYSC, but sharp practices in NDDC”, Akpabio stated.