Former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has expressed dismay at the ongoing media war between Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio and ex-Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Joy Nunieh.
The media war is coming in the wake of a Senate investigation into mismanagement of N40 billion at the NDDC.
Nunieh had accused Akpabio of corruption, sexual harassment and plotting to get her to swear an oath to conceal his alleged corruption.
In a shocking disclosure on Monday, she claimed to have slapped the minister at his guest house in Apo area of Abuja for allegedly sexually harassing her.
Furthermore, she stated that the NDDC headquarters did not have electricity for extended periods because the minister’s girlfriend got the contract to supply diesel and did not fulfil the contractual agreement.
In reaction to some of the allegations, Akpabio said that Nunieh was “too temperamental to be responsible”.
The former Akwa Ibom State Governor also attacked her marital life, saying she left four husbands because of her temper.
He added, “She was not relieved of her appointment because of corruption. She was relieved of her appointment because of insubordination.
“My ministry, which supervises her, wrote seven letters to her, but she never responded to one.”
Read Also: How Magu’s ordeal vindicated IPOB – Nnamdi Kanu
Akpabio further said, “The late Chief of Staff to the President (Mallam Abba Kyari) sent a petition from the anti-corruption agency stating that she did not have the requisite qualifications to work as acting MD of a commission.”
Reacting to the accusations and counter-accusations, Fani-Kayode accused the duo of dragging Nigeria’s name in the mud in the international community.
Taking to Twitter, the ex-minister wrote, “I have known Joy Nunieh for many years. She is a tough cookie and exceptionally intelligent. She is NOT crazy, wayward or flippant.
“She is a beautiful, righteous and principled lady who is a brilliant lawyer and who has always had the courage of her convictions. She is also a fighter.
“I appeal to both her and my old friend and brother Godswill Akpabio, who I have always liked and who I have immense respect for despite our political differences, to sheath their swords.
“The only people that benefit from this public spat are those that hate and seek to mock the people of the Niger Delta and those that have nothing but contempt and disdain for the Nigerian people generally.
“The matter has already hit the international airwaves and it is scandalous. When you marry it to the Hushpuppy mess and the Magu meltdown it puts our country and people in a very precarious situation in the international community.
“Whatever the issues are between the Minister and the former NDDC MD, let them be ironed out behind closed doors quietly and let whoever may have done any wrong be sanctioned by the President and if necessary the security agencies.
“That is how these things are done at such high levels. It must not degenerate into a no-holds-barred market place ‘bolekaja’ slugfest where anything goes.
“And whatever the case, people’s private lives, how many husbands they have had, the challenges they may have had in marriage and issues of sexual molestation in the office should not be part of this.
“To take it to that shameful level is simply sordid and well beneath both parties who I know very well.
“There ought to be some limitations, decency and decorum in this.
“There must be certain lines and boundaries that must never be crossed. Both Godswill and Joy are just too good for this show of shame.
“Again I appeal to them both: SHEATH YOUR SWORDS before the matter gets to a point of no return, someone takes advantage of it and something frightful, untoward and regrettable happens.
“May God grant you both the wisdom to accept my humble counsel and may He watch over, lead and guide you both.”