Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godswill Akpabio has threatened to take legal action over a report he calls “fake news” which claimed that he paid $5 million bribe to the Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami and others to secure the appointment of a sole administrator for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
A statement over the weekend by his chief press secretary Anietie Ekong described the report as a “malicious concoction”.
The statement reads: “The story is a desperate attempt by some unscrupulous bloggers to impugn the integrity of the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the Honourable Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami as the claim is not only spurious but utterly ridiculous.
“The fact is that in a suit number ABJ/CS/617/2020 filed by a Civil Society Organization, Forum for Accountability and Good Governance, at a Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Ahmed Mohammed had granted an order restraining the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC from performing the functions of the board and accessing the Commission’s offices and files.
“The Order clearly listed the Managing Director Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, Acting Executive Director of Projects Dr Cairo Ojougboh, Mrs Caroline Nagboh and Cecilia Akintomide as those restrained.
“The Order also asked that ‘the most senior civil servant or administrator in the Commission be appointed’ to take charge of the Commission.
“It was based on this order that President Muhammadu Buhari approved the elevation of the Acting Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Mr Effiong Akwa, being the most Senior Administrator to take over the headship of the NDDC as an Interim Administrator pending the completion of the Forensic Audit Exercise.”
It added: “The authors of the fake news should be ready to back up their claim or face the full wrath of the law.”
