Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister, has counselled the Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio and the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, Joy Nunieh, to stop washing their dirty linens in public.
Mr Fani-Kayode who gave the advice in a Monday statement urged the duo to settle their differences behind closed doors.
There have been accusations and counter-accusations pertaining to the mismanagement of funds at the commission and this led to the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC headed by Nunieh being dissolved.
The quarrels between the former Akwa Ibom State governor and the former NDDC MD degenerated to their private lives been made public. While Akpabio accused her of being temperamental and a divorcee of four failed marriages, Nunieh accused the former lawmaker of sexually harrashing her which led to him being smacked by her.
In his reaction, Fani-Kayode says the brawl between them will only benefit the enemies of the Niger Delta people rather than the region. Read his statement reproduced below.
“I have known Joy Nunieh for many years. She is a very 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 real 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 scandal 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 peoples 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.”
