Fani-Kayode wades into Akpabio, Nunieh’s raging feud

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Joy Nunieh and Godswill Akpabio

Akpabio and Nunieh

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Nigeria’s former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has waded into the raging feud between former Acting Managing Director of Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Joy Nunieh and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.

Nunieh had accused Akpabio of corruption and trying to harass her sexually.

Reacting to the development, Fani-Kayode said he had known Nunieh for many years and that she is not crazy and appealed to her and Akpabio to sheath their swords.

”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,” he said.

Fani-Kayode said the only people who benefitted from this public spat were those who hated and sought to mock the people of the Niger Delta and those that have nothing but contempt and disdain for the Nigerian people generally.

According to him, the matter had 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 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,” he added.

He stated that there ought to be some limitations, decency and decorum in this and that there must be certain lines and boundaries that must never be crossed, saying that both Godswill and Joy were 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,” he said.

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