FLASHBACK: Ex-NDDC MD Joy Nunieh Slap Akpabio For Sexual Harassment

Former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Joy Nunieh, has reignited a damning allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of sexually harassing her during her tenure at the commission.

In a shocking interview on Arise TV, Nunieh revealed that the harassment occurred at Akpabio’s guest house in Abuja in 2020. She claimed that she slapped the then Minister of Niger Delta Affairs in response to his sexual advances, describing the act as an assertion of her “intolerance for nonsense” as a woman from Rivers State.

Akpabio has categorically denied the allegations through a statement issued by his media aide, calling the claims untrue. However, the controversy surrounding Nunieh’s allegations escalates in light of her previous statements accusing Akpabio of orchestrating her removal from office for failing to comply with his “illegal orders.”

Nunieh had earlier testified before the Senate’s ad hoc panel investigating the alleged mismanagement of N40 billion by the NDDC, where Akpabio had claimed he was unaware of the commission’s finances due to Nunieh’s refusal to brief him. In contrast, Nunieh claimed that Akpabio had instructed her to make unauthorized financial changes and remove key personnel in the NDDC.

The latest sexual harassment allegations come on the heels of a new claim made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who alleges her political troubles began after she rejected Akpabio’s sexual advances in the Senate.

Akpabio, who has long been a powerful figure in Nigerian politics, now faces increased scrutiny over these serious accusations, further tarnishing his reputation and raising questions about his conduct in public office.