It was like a movie, said one onlooker who witnessed the unfolding scene. Joi Nunieh, the immediate past Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission suddenly emerged.
Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs had just finished with reporters covering the National Assembly.
“I’m the former managing director”, a voice rang out from the crowd.
It was the Ogoni-born activist and lawyer who had emerged as the head of the Interim Management Committee set up by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, with approval from the Presidency.
She had her own side to tell, the obviously agitated lady told reporters, as she methodically proceeded to spill as much beans as she could lay hands on.
Her tenure had ended as quickly as it began, following what turned out to be a major disagreement between the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and herself.
Nunieh alleged before the press that Akpabio had told her, he would use the same pen which brought her to office to remove her.
She alleged that her ordeal with the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State began shortly after she refused to comply with certain directives, relating to the release of funds
Nunieh equally alleged that Akpabio had tried to use her to commit fraud, a move which she said, she vigorously resisted.
She spoke of a programme of the NDDC, the water hyacinth scheme, which she claimed Akpabio wanted her to delve into.
But she revealed that she stayed away from its implementation because the scheme had been overdrawn to the tune of N50 billion, far surpassing an estimate of about N5 billion.
The former Ag. Managing Director noted that obeying instructions which purportedly came from the Minister in those circumstances would land her in trouble and send her to jail.
Nunieh revealed that when the relationship between them broke down irreparably, an attempt to fix the problem was made.
She disclosed that certain high ranking members, including the SSA to the President on Domestic Matters were present at the peace meeting.
According to her, Akpabio insisted that she could only keep her job if she swore to an oath.
Joi however did not disclose the nature of the oath that Akpabio wanted her to swear to, but she said, she refused the attempt.
Opening up a can of worms, the former Managing Director said some of the instructions passed unto her by Akpabio included an alleged move to incriminate the Chairman of the Senate Committee, Peter Nwaoboshi.
She again refused to comply according to her and described Akpabio as a highly corrupt official who even went to the extent of allegedly bombing a pipeline.
Meanwhile, Senator Godswill Akpabio has reacted to the allegations, saying Nunieh was fired because of acts of insubordination.
Akpabio told Arise Television, “My ministry, which supervises her, wrote seven letters to her but she never responded to one.
“The late Chief of Staff to the President sent a petition from anti-corruption agency stating that she didn’t have the requisite qualifications to work as acting MD of a Commission.”
He said that her removal from office had nothing to do with corruption.
“She was not relieved of her appointment because of corruption. She was relieved of her appointment because of insubordination”, The Minister stressed.
The former Governor of Akwa Ibom State hinted that there was no proof that Joi Nunieh had served under the NYSC programme as required by law, saying, ““There was no record exit either in Kwara or national headquarters to prove her participation in the scheme and we wrote to her to explain the findings but she never responded,”
Akpabio absolved himself of allegations that he was involved in corruption and stated that the report of the forensic audit conducted into the affairs of the NDDC would be ready before the year ends.
Joi may have stepped on big toes whilst operating as the Ag. Managing Director. Donu Kogbara, a columnist and journalist who was invited by Joi to serve as her top media aide has confirmed this.
Donu who left in disgust from the NDDC told ThisDay Live that Joi may not have put out the whole truth.
She faulted Nunieh’s claim that Akpabio attempted to force a corruption allegation against the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, describing it as baseless and untrue.
Kogbara, a veteran journalist, told reporters that the attempt to frame corruption charge against Nwaoboshi was indeed initiated and executed by Nunieh.
It is not clear why Donu decided to step into the ring. Both ladies who are Ogonis have been friends for several years. Saying she had reason to believe that Nunieh did not have the NYSC certificate, Donu Kogbara advised Nunieh who appears to be on a revenge mission to take her loss calmly.
“If they allow you to go with all your emoluments, you should just thank God and go in a gracious and dignified way”, Kogbara said to the former Managing Director.
“Even if you feel that you would not have been removed had it been you were in a better term with certain people, the fact is, you have played into the hands of those who don’t want you around”, she added.
The reference to her emoluments may have been used in context by Donu who allegedly got a broad side from Nunieh when she packed her bags and joined the former Acting Managing Director in Port Harcourt.
Donu was not paid her dues from the day she set foot at the NDDC office until the time she left, according to what we have learnt.
But Joi who has suddenly drawn national attention said she would take her struggle to the House of Representatives.
Although she said she had made her submissions to the Senate, she was however absent during the hearing where Akpabio and other members of the IMC defended allegations surrounding the misappropriation of N40 billion.
“The Citizens Quest for Truth Initiative under my leadership have been monitoring the operational activities of the NDDC over the years as regards the core mandate given to the commission”, Obiaruku Ndukwe, President of the group said in her presentation.
“I make bold to declare here that of all the management teams we have interacted with so far and assessed their activities on the field, the current IMC stands out in terms of accessibility to the people and communities in the area as well as transparency in contracts awards and executions.”
“All the hues and cries being made by some vested groups against the current IMC are driven by nothing but fear of being cut off from their yearly loots”, Ndukwe alleged.