Akpabio to sue Joi Nunieh for defamation, denies ‘false allegations’
Jennifer Ugwueke
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said he has instructed his lawyers to seek necessary redress in a court of competent jurisdiction on his behalf over the defamatory statements made by the former acting Managing Director of the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Ms Joi Nunieh.
In a statement signed Thursday in Abuja by Akpabio Special Assistant on Media, Anietie Ekong, he described all the allegations as “cornucopia of false, malicious and libellous,” adding that the Minister will seek redress in a Court of law.
The statement said: “The Honourable Minister’s initial attitude was to allow his lawyers and the judicial system vindicate him of the false allegations against him, but he is compelled to react to some of the wayward allegations levied against his person by Ms Nunieh, especially the one bothering on sexual harassment.
“To start with, let it be known that there is no scintilla of truth in all the allegations peddled around by Ms Nunieh. 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.
“For the records, the Honourable Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON is happily married and contented with his wife. Together they are blessed with children, four (4) of whom are young women. The Honourable Minister is an avid believer of the Affirmative Action and that was visible in the appointments he made as a two (2) 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.