Senator Natasha Accuses Nigerian Senate Of Bias In Disciplining Female Lawmakers

Nigerian Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has accused the Senate of applying double standards in disciplinary actions, questioning why male senators involved in violent altercations have never been sanctioned while she was suspended for six months.

She cited instances where her male colleagues engaged in physical fights, threw items, and hurled insults at each other without facing similar consequences.

“Let’s talk about the gross misconduct that has happened in the Nigerian chambers. I was only told to move, and I refused to move my seat because I deserved to be notified.

“I deserve to be given a chance to explain why I should retain my seat. But you see, I have seen in those chambers where men fight, where senators throw items at each other, curse each other, shout at each other, you know? But they were not suspended. Why? Because they are men?” she questioned.

Natasha challenged the Senate to specify the misconduct that warranted her suspension, asserting that the action against her was politically motivated.

“Yes, they did mention that I was suspended on account of gross misconduct. But can they please provide exactly what the gross misconduct is that amounts for six months suspension the day after I submitted a petition? I was suspended because of that petition, not because of any gross misconduct,” she stated.

The controversy began after Natasha submitted a petition accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.

She claimed that following her refusal to yield to his alleged advances, she faced persistent harassment and was systematically deprived of her rights and privileges as a senator.

“I experienced sexual harassment. Over the past one year, in the hands of the Senate president, and this sexual harassment, because I refused to yield to his demands, turned into malice, whereby my rights and privileges as a senator were being deprived. I found the courage to speak up,” she explained.

During an interview with Sky News’ Anna Botting, she detailed how her attempts to perform legislative duties were consistently obstructed.

“Things got difficult for me. I was always complaining. I have this motion to pass. He’s not letting me. And my husband will actually walk to him because they are friends. My wife has a very important bill. Her constituency needs this,” she said.

“Why don’t you give her a chance to speak? And he’ll tell me, OK, next time, next time. So he deliberately kept on denying me this.”

She further alleged that Akpabio tied her participation in Senate activities to personal gratification.

“And each time I walk to him alone, he’ll tell me, you know what? Right here, I’m the chief presiding officer of the National Assembly. So you have to please me, make me happy to get these privileges. And that happened several times. And because I refused, it developed,” she recounted.

The breaking point, she said, was when she was forcefully removed from her seat.

“Yes, the breaking point was moving me from that seat. Silently, I have had to endure a whole…” she stated before being interrupted.

Despite Akpabio’s denial of the allegations, Akpoti-Uduaghan remains defiant, insisting that her suspension was a direct response to her accusations against him. “Which other way was I going to make it that would have made my voice heard?” she asked.

The Senate has maintained that her suspension is unrelated to her allegations against Akpabio, stating that it was due to “gross misconduct and unruly behaviour.”

However, Natasha’s challenge for the Senate to specify the nature of her misconduct remains unanswered.