Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central in the upper legislative chamber, has alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio repeatedly threw suggestive and lewd comments her way.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the senate on March 6 for
“gross misconduct and unruly behaviour” over her seating arrangement altercation
with the senate president.
Her suspension came a day after she submitted a sexual
harassment petition against Akpabio on the floor of the senate.
In an interview with the BBC, Akpoti-Uduaghan restated that
the “gross misconduct” premise for her suspension was a smokescreen to silence
her.
She said Akpabio frequently made sexual advances towards her
in and out of the senate chamber — and sometimes before other senators.
She alleged that Akpabio would “squeeze my hands in a very
suggestive way”.
“There was a time I forgot to wear my ring because I rushed
to work. And there were about five senators there. And Akpabio said ‘oh
Natasha, you are not wearing your ring… is this an invitation to treat?” she
said.
“There was another time he made a statement like ‘Natasha,
your husband is really enjoying. It looks like you’d be able to make good
movements with your waist’.
“He makes such sexist statements. And then they (other
senators) all laughed.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan broke down in tears when the interviewer
asked what impact her victim shaming and intimidation claims have had on her.
“People don’t understand what it means to carry this. Maybe
we don’t talk about it enough in Nigeria or Africa,” the senator said in
between sobs.
“I just want a place where I would just work. I thought the
worst was over, but I guess for a woman, it’s never really over, right?”
She, however, added that the positive for her is that some
female parliamentarians from across Africa have been ringing her up to
encourage her and to say they face similar sexually charged, male dominated
environments in their respective parliaments.
SENATE REACTION
Responding to the interview, Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, the
senate’s deputy chief whip, told the BBC that Akpabio never made passes at
Akpoti-Uduaghan.
He also said the senate president never made any
inappropriate comments towards the female lawmaker whether in his country home
or the senate chamber.
Nwaebonyi also rejected Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claim that the
senate is trying to silence her.
“Senator Natasha’s legislative activities show this claim is
not true,” he said.
On March 5, Akpabio had denied sexually harassing
Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“At no time did I ever attempt any sexual harassment on the
said distinguished senator Akpoti-Uduaghan or any other woman for that matter,”
Akpabio said in the senate chamber.
“I and my siblings were raised very well by my late single
mother, who died in 2000, through very difficult times. And I therefore have
the highest regard for women.”
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