NDDC: Gov Wike Warns Akpabio: "..ensure that Dr. Joi Nunieh does not suffer any harm.."
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has warned the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, that nothing untoward must happen to the former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr. Joi Nunieh, with whom he has been at war.
Wike’s position was contained in a statement by the Rivers State Government on Tuesday.
The statement, signed by the Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Paul Nsirim, however did not categorically mention Akpabio’s name.
It, however, warned “those involved in the present altercations in the NDDC to thread with caution in their actions and utterances”.
It said: “Rivers State Government has viewed with concern, the recent developments at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in which the name of our daughter, Dr. Joi Nunieh, the immediate past Acting Managing Director of the Commission, has been dragged into.
“We hereby call on those involved in the ongoing investigations in the NDDC to ensure that Dr. Joi Nunieh does not suffer any harm in the course of their undertakings”.
“We wish to state categorically that the Rivers State Government will never support any action that will prevent or jeopardize the laudable intentions of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, to positively reposition the NDDC and fulfill the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the Niger Delta.
“However, we wish to state that while we are not interested in identifying with the present unfolding drama in the NDDC, we will not however fail to protect our daughter from actual harm or perceived danger.
“The State owes it as a duty to protect her citizens from danger no matter their political affiliation and we cannot fold our hands and watch anyone harm her or indeed any Rivers citizen.
“We advise those involved in the present altercations in the NDDC to thread with caution in their actions and utterances.”
Akpabio and the former Acting MD of the NDDC had in the past few days levelled various allegations against themselves, including financial infractions and moral and criminal issues.