A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Hon. Essien Okon, has advised the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godswill Akpabio, to be man enough to face his travails and stop the frame-ups.
Akpabio had, while facing the House of Representatives ad hoc committee probing alleged financial impropriety in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), accused the lawmakers of being major beneficiaries of contracts awarded by the commission.
Challenged to substantiate his allegation, Akpabio quickly recanted, turning around to claim that former governors of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan are a few of the beneficiaries of the contracts.
But the duo has since washed their hands off Akpabio’s recrimination, pointing out however that they did not execute any contract.
Okon, a political ally of Akpabio, challenged him to be man enough to carry his cross, arguing that it smacks of irresponsibility to dodge his responsibility as the supervising minister of the NDDC, an agency of the Federal government placed in his care.
The member of Board of Trustees of APC gave the advice in a statement he issued on Tuesday saying: “The Minister of Niger Delta (Affairs), Senator Akpabio should carry his cross, and not to mention innocent people in the mess at the NDDC, which is under his ministry.
“I know Akpabio very well. I understand his craftiness and ceaseless attempts to pull everyone else down. He can be very mischievous and that’s why he purposely listed names of prominent people as a shield to himself. He had better retrace his steps or else more dooms will befall him,” the statement read.