Senator Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, has responded to the allegations of corruption levelled against him by the former Acting Managing Director of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commissioner (NDDC), Joy Nunieh.

Recall that on July 11th, 2020, Mrs Nunieh accused Akpabio of indulging in various forms of corruption in his handling of the NDDC.

Speaking to newsmen on Friday, the former Acting Managing Director revealed that nobody makes any payment in NDDC without Akpabio's approval.

Akpabio, two-time former Governor of Akwa Ibom, in an interview with ARISE TV, responded and said that Joy Nunieh has a character problem.

The elder statesman said the Former NDDC MD has been divorced four times and that she should focus on her character.

He however said Nunieh was not sacked because of corruption, but because of her insubordination and lack of the prerequisite certificates to head an agency.

The Minister went on to criticize himself for having a soft spot on women which was why he didn't want to publicly reveal the former NDDC MD's Educational deficiencies.

“I don’t want to discuss her because that’s not the job of a Minister.

“The last MD you mentioned, Joy Nunieh, I wish she can go to hospital, see a doctor take some injections and relax.

“I’m not saying that there’s something wrong with her, but I’m saying there’s something wrong with her temperament. Remember she had about four other husbands that she married.

“You also need to bring all the other former husbands to the studio so that you ask them questions one after the other because it looks like character," Akpabio said.

MORE ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION IN NDDC

On Sunday, July 12th, 2020, in an interview on Sunday Politics with Channels TV, Kolawole Johnson, Head of Research, Act of Positive Transformation Initiative, revealed that there are various forms of corruption ongoing in the NDDC.

Johnson alleged that Niger Delta students on scholarship abroad have been abandoned and neglected by the NDDC, and are currently starving, whilst the leadership of the Niger Delta Commission are feeding fat and living off the funds meant for the students.

In addition, he said contracts are being awarded to staff of other companies in which nothing has been done to execute the projects. 

The Head of Research said he has names of staff who got monies for contracts.

However, Cairo Ojouagbo, Executive Director, Project, NDDC, refuted the claims of Kolawole Johnson, and said he doesn't want to join issues with anyone. He revealed the only issue the commission has is with the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege.

The Executive Director said that the only solution to NDDC'S challenges is Forensic Audit.