The party however, fell short of stating the action it would take to protect Sen Akpoti-Uduaghan
In a usually tepid act of opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) merely condemned the alleged plan by the Senate to bar Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from resumption.
Sen Uduaghan is currently serving a six-month suspension and expected to resume when her colleagues return from the annual recess that ends September 23.
It has however, been reported that the Clerk of the National Assembly, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria has released a communication asserting that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan may not be allowed to resume at the expiration of her suspension due to a pending court order.
Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, Clerk of the National Assembly
Responding to the stance of the management of the National Assembly, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba issued a statement, Tuesday in Abuja to condemn it.
Ologunagba said that the reported action by the Clerk of the National Assembly was a calculated attempt to abridge the right of representation of the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District and deny them a voice at the highest law-making body in the country.
He noted that the attempt to use the National Assembly establishment against an elected Senator was in gross violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (as amended) and the Standing Rules of the Senate.
According to him, this constitutes a clear danger to the democracy of the country and attempt to silent the opposition and attacks on the right of women.
Ologunagba called on the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio to come clean of the matter.
He said that the extreme persecution of six months suspension unjustly imposed on Akpoti-Uduaghan, “contrary to the Rules of the Senate” was more than enough.
He expressed the PDP solidarity with the people of Kogi Central and all well-meaning Nigerians in condemning the unwarranted renewed plot against the lawmaker.
The PDP national publicity secretary called on the Clerk of the National Assembly to withdraw the said letter and play by the rules by being neutral as a bureaucrat.
He advised the Clark not to allow himself to be politically entangled and used as a tool to undermine democracy and the Rule of Law in the National Assembly and Nigeria.
He also urged Akpoti-Uduaghan to discountenance the reported letter by the Clerk of the National Assembly and get ready to resume at the Senate.
He further called on the Senate leadership to ensure that Akpoti-Uduaghan was allowed to resume her duties and perform her roles as an elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria unhindered.
Mr. Ologunagba, however, did not state the action that the leadership of the PDP, Nigeria’s leading opposition party would take in the event that the National Assembly prevented Sen Uduaghan from resuming at the senate.
Some determined constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District on Thursday vowed never to back down on the recall process of Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the National Assembly.
Rather, they insisted that they would fine-tune the process.
The constituents, in a statement issued on Thursday by Salihu Habib, said there was no going back on their resolve to bring the Kogi senator back home.
They, however, thanked the Independent National Electoral Commission for validating 208,132 (43.86 per cent) signatures in the petition earlier submitted to it for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recall.
The renewed determination by the concerned constituents was sequel to INEC’s declaration of some defects in the recall petition they had hitherto presented to it.
INEC had, in a statement on its X handle on Thursday said the petition failed to meet the minimum requirement prescribed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The constituents, who are registered voters of Kogi Central, said that they had mobilised more than the 50 per cent plus one threshold of registered voters and submitted their petition with full documentation.
They, however, noted that the validation of 43.86 per cent by INEC was a confirmation that Kogi Central constituents had rejected the senator.
“Apparently, INEC cancelled not less than 35,000 signatures from the administrative signatures collected.
“We will liaise with INEC within the full ambits of the constitution and regulations to demand for transparency in the handling of our petition.
“We have utmost confidence in the commission not to subject the recall process to ambiguity or administrative opacity,” they said.
They expressed gratitude to INEC for proving naysayers, who queried the authenticity of their figures, wrong.
“We thank INEC for making it clear that the bulk of the people of Kogi Central are behind us and that we did not import a crowd like a desperate, embattled lawmaker,” they said.
The petitioners insisted that the recall of Akpoti-Uduaghan “for misconduct and divisiveness” was non-negotiable.
“We are firm in our resolve to restore dignified and collaborative representation to Kogi Central senatorial district. We will no longer indulge someone who will do and say anything just to remain politically relevant.
“The whole of Nigeria watched her deceptive rally last Tuesday where she openly made comments capable of setting, not just Kogi State, but Nigeria ablaze.
“We will pursue all lawful and constitutional means to ensure our voices are heard and respected. After God, power belongs to the people,” they stated.
IN our country, Nigeria, they are the alpha males. I mean the male class of the ruling elite. In truth, there’s virtually no female class of the ruling elite since the advent of this country in 1914 when the northern and southern protectorates were amalgamated by the British overlords. There’s this legend that it was a woman who, today in Nigeria, will be regarded as the ultimate ‘side chick’ or a consort to the then ruler of our country that named Nigeria, Nigeria. The woman, Flora Shaw, was a British journalist, and later wife of Lord Frederick Lugard, a British colonial administrator. The story was that in 1897,Flora Shaw coined the name “Nigeria” to refer to the region surrounding the River Niger, a river that was discovered by Mungo Park irrespective of the fact that people had lived on the banks of the same river for centuries before the coming of that meddlesome foreign, no good, interloper.
Ironically, if Flora Shaw were to be alive today, she would have been in the forefront of the agitation for the respect of the rights of the embattled Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. She was a noted strong advocate for women’s rights. There are still some female folks who speak out in the promotion and defence of women’s rights. But their voices are muffled and often drowned out by the cacophony of noises from the alpha males who are the custodians of “ji na nma” or the wielders of the stick and the carrot in the Nigerian realm. Women of stature in the mold of Margaret Ekpo, Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti, Queen Amina, Gambo Sawaba, and the leaders of the protesting Aba Women in 1929 have become extinct.
The 1929 Aba Women’s Riot was led by Madame Nwanyeruwa. A fearsome and extremely courageous woman who inspired others to organise a massive revolt against British colonial administrators in the southeastern part of this country. The riot which was also known as the Women’s War was a response to the introduction of direct taxation on women and the oppressive policies of the British colonial government. Significantly, the Aba Women’s War inspired other events in other parts of Igboland, and Nigeria throughout the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Indeed, historians recorded that the riot was a significant event in the rise of African nationalism and a challenge to British colonial rule in some African countries including Nigeria. Natasha would have rest assured if we still have the Nwanyeruwas, Funmilayos, Margarets, Gambos and Aminas. In a sense Natasha is an orphan. The tragedy is that what is currently happening to senator Natasha in the cult called the senate of Nigeria, the supine and staggeringly corrupt and incompetent ‘Independent’ National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Executive branch of government in Abuja and Lokoja (Kogi state), and among some vested political actors have implications far beyond whatever fate would befall Natasha. If the mafia in politics and the various branches of our government succeed in silencing Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, then the fate of women and our female children would be impaired permanently. Women will be stigmatized. Their participation in politics and governance will be adversely impacted. That adolescent girl in the university will be compelled to sign on to the Code of Silence in the face of sexual harassment by her lecturer or supervisor. The woman who desires to make a career in corporations or Nollywood will lose the courage to name and shame male sex predators. Ultimately, this country loses.
The concerted efforts to squelch what appears to be Nigeria’s ‘Me Too’ season with the allegations of sexual harassment against the senate president, Godswill Akpabio by his colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan have dire ramifications for this country. That we appear not to care is shocking, to say the least. It’s instructive and curious that Natasha’s senatorial zone that could only muster about 100,000 votes between the two leading contenders in 2023 after about one year of campaign, was able to manufacture 250,000 votes in a matter of hours to trigger Natasha’s planned recall. Curiouser still is the fact that the face of the recall campaign was that of an aide to the governor of Kogi state who is a noted political enemy of Natasha.
In the last one month all manner of kitchen sinks are being thrown at Natasha simply because she complained about a toxic work environment. She claimed that she was suffering privations in her workplace, which is the senate of the federal republic, because she refused the alleged repeated sexual advances of the senate president, Akpabio, who is also the chairman of the national assembly. In the event of the unexpected, Senator Akpabio is the third in line to the presidency. So the office he occupies is significant. Ordinarily, the Natasha matter should be simple and straightforward. The burden is on the person who accused another of wrongdoing to prove her weighty allegations. The easiest way to resolve the matter would have been to provide the platform to put the accuser on the spot and then discredit her claims, and dismiss the evidence that she claimed were in her possession.
But no. First, her petition was initially rejected because she signed it contrary to senate’s rule. Eventually, she succeeded in submitting the amended version but by that time some senators had said publicly that her petition was dead on arrival. How can a supposedly lawmaking body be so lawless, tactless, reckless, and brazen? Earlier, the chairman of the senate committee on public petitions, Neda Imaseun, was all over television stations speaking on the petition and suggesting that Natasha’s allegations lacked merit. Even as rotten as our country is, it is still difficult to find something so absurd to compare with the conduct of Senator Imaseun. Well, his behaviour should not be entirely surprising. After all, there’s information in the public domain that the man is a fugitive from the law in the United States of America (USA) where he had been disbarred from practicing law in the state of New York because of fraud. But he is symbolic of many office holders since the return to rule by civilians in 1999. The head of the executive branch is a severely damaged person. The chairman of the national assembly who is also the senate president had allegations of a multi-billion Naira fraud by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on his neck up until he was smuggled into that office. There was also a speculation that the head of the judiciary is on the no-visa list of the US. She may be the first chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) to be sworn into office twice – first when she was nominated in acting capacity and then when she was confirmed by the senate. There’s so much awkwardness in the current dispensation.
If the current Nigerian senate is not a cult headed by males who are adept at shaking people down in mafia style, the Natasha matter should not have lasted longer than two weeks. By now the matter should have been out of the national agenda, one way or the other. Both Akpabio and Natasha would have been compelled to appear before a senate ethics panel headed by an untainted senator. There is a precedent with former senate president Olusola Saraki when one of his colleagues accused him of wrongdoing. He stepped aside, appeared before the relevant committee and cleared his name. It appears in this instance that Akpabio does not see himself as a ‘first among equals’. He probably thinks himself as an executive president with full complements of constitutionally – guaranteed immunity. If that be the case, then there’s an urgent need to remind him that he is not what he probably thinks he is.
Let me conclude with the thoughts of a female professor in a WhatsApp group where I belong to, who responded to a man who sounded like a misogynist on the Natasha v Akpabio face-off. She wrote: “As much as I do not want to be involved in political matters, I am constrained to make some comments (in response, actually a rebuke of what a man posted). First,… I am shocked that you refer to Senator Natasha as an alaseju whose ‘bom bom must kiss hot water’. It is a sad reflection of how much we are willing to tolerate in our public and private (lives). Senator Natasha made some allegations, she expressed her willingness to provide evidence. The minimum requirement for any decent society and any man with the tiniest bit of integrity is to provide an enabling environment and submit himself to thorough investigation so that the truth could be established.
“Instead of doing the correct thing, they brought out the ‘smoking guns’ and went on a frontal attack. They were taking ‘àtamo and joining it to àtamo, painting the woman black and addressing everything but the substance of the matter. Many men cry(ing) more than Akpabio and they behave as if they were with him 24/7, figuratively behaving like the outsider that weeps more than the bereaved. Sir, SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS REAL AND IT DESTROYS THE LIVES OF SO MANY PEOPLE (emphasis mine). Lives and destinies are compromised/destroyed when people in power misuse their powers to request/enforce sexual gratification. I teach in a tertiary institution and I have seen it firsthand, both through NGO (non governmental organisation) and in my teaching and research. If (this case is) handled properly, (it) would have sent a strong message to sexual harassers in educational (institutions) and workplaces.
“Why is Senator Akpabio afraid of an impartial investigation? What is he running from? Why are so many people ready to castigate her instead of asking that an enabling environment be created for her to present her evidence? May I also ask that Senator Akpabio be requested to provide evidence disproving the allegations. For GOD’S (sake), he is an elected servant of the people, holding the position of the number 3 citizen in this country, he should be answerable to the citizens of Nigeria. One of the things that sadden(s) me in this whole saga is the vociferous, almost rabid defence of Sen. Akpabio from certain, sometimes disappointingly, unexpected quarters. Certainly, there are many more closet sexual harassers than we imagine”. The mistake we are making is to think that this matter is just about Natasha. No. It is not. It’s about the future of the girl-child. It’s about impunity. It’s about the Code of Silence and its enforcers. It’s about the future wellbeing of this country. Evil doers will be emboldened if they succeed in silencing and crushing Natasha.
UGO ONUOHA, Veteran journalist, was the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Champion Newspapers Limited
The prevalence of misogyny, acquiescence to egregious abuse of power, and the flagrant disregard for procedures on display in the defense of a man accused of sexually harassing a senator is alarming and disheartening. The orchestrated effort to maliciously discredit the alleged victim, supported by numerous individuals on social media, including the COYN platform, is equally disturbing.
It is widely acknowledged that sexual harassment and exploitation of women are pervasive issues in our society. Yet, many men have chosen to support and justify one of the most egregious abuses of power in the Nigerian senate, citing senate rules as a justification.
I pose the following questions to some of the male folk who are attempting to persuade us to disregard common sense and the evidence before us by advocating for the “sequence of events theory”: That their posers about the breach of senate rule by Senator Natasha preceded chronologically her allegation of sexual harassment against Senate President Akoabio. Hence her accusation had nothing to do with her allegation. If you genuinely believe that the accusation of breaching senate rules against Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan was unrelated to her allegation of sexual harassment against senate president Akpabio, then please answer the following questions:
Would the senate have suspended Senator Natasha based solely on the alleged breach of senate rules had she not accused the senate president of sexual harassment?
Is the senator’s alleged breach of senate rules severe enough to warrant her constituents initiating a recall effort?
Does anyone genuinely believe that the recall process and its expedited completion emerge organically, without being orchestrated and funded by powerful forces intent on suppressing the scandal?
If you cannot answer affirmatively to any of these questions, how can anyone objectively defend the blatant abuse of power exhibited by the Nigerian senate in its treatment of Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan? This defense defies logic, fairness, objectivity, respect for justice, and adherence to rule-based politics.
In conclusion, the Nigerian senate has established a new low in misogyny and abuse of power in its handling of the Natasha-Akpabio scandal. It is essential to note that no one is disputing the guilt or innocence of the two individuals involved in the scandal. The truth of the events is known only to the two parties. What is being contested is the unmistakable effort by the Nigerian senate to tip the scales of justice in favor of the alleged perpetrator and to excoriate and punish the alleged victim in the most severe and appalling manner. In a reasonable system, the victim would have been given the benefit of the doubt, especially considering our society’s alarming statistics on sexual harassment and exploitation of women. This is an undeniable fact supported by extensive research data and our collective lived experience.
The impact about the blight of the Natasha-Akpabio scandal will reverberate for decades to come. Its victims might by our daunted or granddaughters who are now witnessing the re-victimization, brutal excoriation and the crude and severe punishment being meted out to powerful Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan would get the chilling message that in Nigeria, victims of sexual harassment had better kept their mouth shut and take their abuse and dehumanization in silence. That society will punish them severely if they spoke out. This is indeed a sad watershed episode in our nation’s history and the treatment of victims of sexual harassment and exploitation.
Adewale Alonge, PhD, is Founder & President, Africa Diaspora Partnership for Empowerment and Development. www.adped.org
Senate on Thursday passed a vote of confidence in Senate President Godswill Akpabio, reaffirming its support for his leadership.
This vote is coming on the heels of the controversy surrounding the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over allegations of misconduct.
During Thursday’s plenary, the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, moved the motion, which was seconded by the Deputy Senate Minority Leader, Senator Olalere Oyewumi.
The lawmakers overwhelmingly backed Akpabio, emphasizing their commitment to upholding parliamentary rules and procedures.
Bamidele clarified that the Senate had not received any formal allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio between August 2023 and the present.
He stated that the issue referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics was unrelated to such claims.
According to him, the Senate’s actions are guided strictly by constitutional provisions and not personal grievances.
“The Nigerian Constitution, under Section 60, grants Parliament the authority to regulate its own procedures. The Senate operates within these legal frameworks, ensuring due process and order,” Bamidele stated.
He further acknowledged the public’s right to scrutinize government actions but emphasized that governance must adhere to established protocols for effective service delivery.
Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, put the confidence motion to a vote, with the majority of senators endorsing it.
The vote comes amid ongoing public debate over Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension following her allegations against Akpabio. However, the Senate leadership insists its decisions are based on parliamentary ethics and constitutional guidelines.
Similarly, the complaint filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the United Nations Inter-Parliamentary Conference in New York, has continued to raise dust as the Nigerian Senate has defended its decision to suspend the lawmaker representing Kogi Central.
The Senate insisted that it was due to “gross misconduct” and not her sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio that led to her suspension.
Recall that while addressing the United Nations Inter-Parliamentary Conference, Natasha alleged injustice and harassment from the powers that be in the Senate.
Moreover, following her presentation, the IPU assured her that it would take necessary steps to address her grievances but stressed the need to also hear the other side before making any official pronouncement.
However, the Nigerian Senate has responded to Senator Natasha’s complaint to the IPU through a letter written by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.
The letter was read by the Chairperson of the House of Representatives committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Honorable Kafilat Ogbara, who is attending the event in an official capacity representing Nigeria.
The Senate letter reads, “Senator Natasha-Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for gross misconduct and unruly behaviour and not as a result of allegation of sexual harassment or assault.
“The authority of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria firmly refutes the deliberate misinformation and false narrative being circulated by certain media organisations regarding the sixth months suspension of Senator Natsaha-Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“Let it be unequivocally stated that Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent act of misconduct and disregard for the Senate Standing Orders.”
Honourable Ogbara called for a holistic investigation into the allegation by Senator Natasha against the Senator President, Godswill Akpabio.
She maintained that procedures and necessary actions under the Senate rules were observed before Senator Natasha’s suspension.
Last week, the Senate suspended the lawmaker in a move that has continued to generate debates across the country.
She had initially submitted a petition to the Senate accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment. But the lawmakers threw it out before suspending her even after submitting another petition.
Senator Natasha vowed to continue the fight against “injustice”. But in the wake of the suspension, Akpabio denied the accusations and maintained he has never assaulted women.
Recall that the Natasha face-off with the Senate president started on February 20, 2025, after her seat was changed during plenary
THE Nigerian Senate is far more than the upper legislative chamber in our bi-camera parliament. In more respects than one, the senate is also a cult which thrives in occultic practices especially on matters pertaining to the conducts and utterances of senators. Other run-of-the-mill cults operate in secret and subscribe to strange codes known only to their members. The members of the senate also operate through codes that are not entirely secret. Their own codes are printed in what senators call Standing Orders. Practicing senators are expected to inscribe the contents of their Standing Orders in their hearts. For some senators the Standing Orders trumps the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended. The Standing Orders is their own holy grail or writ the contents of which must never be breached no matter how anachronistic they may be. Some senators especially their presiding and principal officers are wont to believe that their Standing Orders ranks above every other document in the land. Every senator is mandated to come to work especially plenary clutching the Standing Orders pamphlet. It’s not the same requirement for the Constitution of the Republic.
So, as a senator, when you take the oath of office and allegiance to the Constitution, you would also invariably be subscribing to senate’s peculiar code. The difference is that you may breach the Constitution and go scot-free or get away with a slap in the wrist. But if you break their code, the hammer of the cult leaders would fall on you heavily, swiftly, and fast. The hammer can be devastating and ruinous. Except perhaps for former senator Shehu Sani, no senator aligns with the offending senator. Last weekend, senator Sani said he was saved from what appeared to be an inevitable suspension from the senate for nothing less than six months but for the intervention of presiding officers, senators Olusola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, respectively senate president and deputy senate president at the time. What was senator Sani’s offence: he publicly disclosed the salaries and allowances of senators during his time. In Nigeria salaries and allowances of senators, members of the House of Representatives, and some other public officers could be likened to the Constitution of Malawi under their former president, the late Hastings Kamuzu Banda. Legend has it that when Banda had his vice grips on Malawi, it was a criminal offence for any other person except the president to quote or reference any provisions in the Constitution. It was also forbidden that any Malawian should speculate on the age of the president. So senator Sani was set to be sacked from the senate by those who did not elect him.
Nigerian senate was part of making a law to encourage whistle-blowing and protect whistle blowers, but it loathes whistle blowers from amongst its fold, and especially if the whistle blowing has to do with its activities, actions and operations. The most important operating code for our senators is that “nga – aha eri anaghi eri onwe ha” or dogs don’t eat dogs. Except for the aspect of accusation of sexual harassment against the current president of the senate, Obong Godswill Akpabio, by senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, nothing that has happened in the past two weeks was strange. At the minimum no less than six senators had been suspended from the senate since the advent of civil rule about 26 years ago. To be candid less than 10 suspensions could not by any imagination be said to be too much. So on this score kudos to the senate. However, a closer examination of some of the reasons for the suspensions of senators should be concerning. Some of them speaks to the lawlessness of the presiding officers of the senate, and the inclination to enforce a culture of silence in the senate. The same applies to the House. One senator Abdul Ningi was suspended from the senate last year for three months for blowing the whistle on the padding of the national budget by some lawmakers in the national assembly to the tune of N3trillion. He further alleged that two distinct budgets were being operated – one approved by the national assembly and the other procured by the Executive arm of government for itself. He was humiliated and hounded out in the guise of suspension. As it later turned out senator Ningi spoke the truth. The budget in question was mindlessly padded and two budget documents were being executed. But there were no consequences. Not from the Executive, not from the Legislature. The culprits went scot-free. The majority of senators and representatives respected the cult’s code of silence. The only code in the presidency is the president who obviously cannot go to equity. So the evil doers walked away with their financial heists. And the country muddled along in the journey to nowhere.
Ovie Omo-Agege was once a senator. In 2018 he was accused of opposing a bill for election reordering. His name was also mentioned when some thugs stormed the senate chamber and stole the mace, the legislative house’s symbol of authority. That burglary was captured on live television. The action of badging into the senate to disrupt proceedings and seize the mace was said to have been ignited by sundry leadership disputes. Omo-Agege was suspended from the senate, and denied the privileges and appurtenances of office. He went to court and the court struck down his suspension. The presiding judge ruled that the action of the senate was illegal. A similar fate befell senator Ali Ndume. He was the majority leader of the current senate (the 10th senate). Last year he spoke out about the grinding poverty in the land occasioned by the economic policies of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) political party of which he is a ranking member. He spoke to other issues as well. He was swiftly suspended and stripped of his principal officer’s role. The office of the majority leader was quickly handed over to another party man, foreclosing any possibility of it being restored to him at the end of his suspension. He was coerced to apologise before his sacking was lifted. The same Ndume was suspended in 2017 when he demanded the probe of senators Saraki and Dino Melaye over allegations that Saraki who was senate president had a bulletproof car seized by the Nigerian Customs Service, and that Melaye had forged his academic certificates. Saraki appeared before the ethics panel and later stepped aside for his deputy to preside over the committee of the whole house where the ethics committee report was considered. He was cleared of the charge. On his part Melaye obtained a certified true copy of his university diploma and was also cleared. Ndume is a veteran lawmaker having been in the national assembly since the return to civil rule, moving from the House to the senate. He shoots from the hips, and routinely talks himself into trouble.
Other senators who have talked themselves into trouble were Arthur Nzeribe who in 2022 was suspended indefinitely during the senate presidency of Pius Anyim Pius over allegations of a N22 million fraud, and senator Joseph Waku who was suspended in 2000 after suggesting that a military coup would be preferable to allowing the then president Olusegun Obasanjo to continue in office. Senator Femi Okurounmu suffered a similar fate in 1999 after he alleged that some senators were plotting to impeach Obasanjo.
Though suspension of senators is as old as this fourth republic but none has generated so much controversy as the recent sacking of the Kogi central senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. It started with the removal of Natasha from her sitting position in the senate chambers. She refused to move in spite of pleas from her colleagues. On this score she failed because the allocation and reallocation of seats is the exclusive preserve of the senate president. It does not matter that she was not pre-informed as courtesy would demand. However, the failure to inform her of the change did not violate any rules. She eventually yielded and then claimed she was being victimised because she rejected the sexual advances of Akpabio. She listed times and occasions when Akpabio made sexual overtures to her, including telephone calls. Natasha followed up with a petition to the relevant committee of the senate. The petition was initially rejected for procedural errors. One thing led to the other and Natasha was swiftly suspended for allegedly breaching senate rules including refusing to stand up whenever Akpabio was ushered into the chamber. She just managed to submit her reworked petition before she was walked out of the senate to begin her draconian and illegal six months suspension.
Since Natasha’s suspension the senate has been in overdrive to justify her sacking ostensibly because of the backlash it has generated. Senate leader Opeyemi Bamidele said at the weekend that Natasha was suspended for violating senate rules and for ‘unparliamentary behaviour’. He said that ‘Rather than submitting to the authority of the senate, Akpoti-Uduaghan had been misinforming the unsuspecting public that she was suspended because she accused the senate president of sexual harassment’. Obviously the senate leader takes Nigerians for fools. But he’s not alone in his hubris. Akpabio himself weighed in on the matter in which he is the prime accused. He said while receiving a group from his south south region that Nigerians are ignorant of the processes and procedures of the senate, and so lacked the capacity to make reasonable judgement on the matter. The interesting thing is that the real morons among Nigerians are in government – the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary. Often the selection of the key officers in our governments at all levels are not based on merit or capacity. The tragedy is that when they get there, by hook or crook, they think themselves as the best and the brightest. If they are what they think that they are, our country will not be the mess it is today, and butt of jokes in the commity of nations.
If the current senate is not a cult there’s no other universe where Akpabio would be presiding over anything concerning Natasha who accused him of sexual harassment. The ethical thing to do would be for him to recuse himself from the sentencing without fair hearing of Natasha even if her kangaroo trial was for the alleged breach of senate rules, and ‘unparliamentary behaviour’. Akpabio had no scruples of being a judge in a case which involves him by association. Furthermore, senate by suspending Natasha has demonstrated that it is a lawmaking body that takes delight in breaking the law. Or how do we explain the fact that there’s a subsisting judgment from a court of competent jurisdiction that suspending a lawmaker for six months was illegal.
UGO ONUOHA was the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Champion Newspapers Limited
“If we were planning to send the clear and chilling message to our young ladies, our children and grandchildren, who face sexual harassment on a regular basis, to shut up, suffer in silence, raise no alarm, suffer humiliation and retaliation quietly, we couldn’t have chosen a better case to make the point than the Natasha-Akpabio Scandal.”
That in the year 2025, a powerful lady, a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Natasha Akpoti-Udanghan, who is also married to a highly influential husband, and who just as she released a bombshell alleging being sexually harassed by the senate president, was suspended for six months, marks a sad day for women’s right and their bodily autonomy in our country. To add insult to injury, this national show of shame occurs only hours away from March 8th, the International Women’s Day.
We do not need research statistics to tell us that sexual harassment and sexual exploitation of women in Nigeria is a true epidemic. We all know it in our daily and past lived experience.
In a study by Owoaje ET, and Olusola-Taiwo O. titled “Sexual harassment experiences of female graduates of Nigerian tertiary institutions” and published in the 2009-2010 edition of International Quarterly of Community Health Education, the authors reported that majority (69.8%) of the respondents had been sexually harassed, with the main perpetrators being male classmates and lecturers. About two-thirds experienced the non-physical type of sexual harassment; 48.2% experienced the physical type. Non-physical harassment included sexual comments (57.8%) and requests to do something sexual in exchange for academic favors (32.2%). Physical forms of sexual harassment included unwanted sexual touching (29.4%) and being intentionally brushed against in a sexual way (28.9%). The effects experienced by victims were depression and perceived insecurity on campus. Sexual harassment is not just a common occurrence confined to Nigerian tertiary institutions, it is prevalent across the society, in the workplace, houses of worship and in everyday living, including women just walking in the street when men often feel entitled to make sly and sexually demeaning comments and sometimes unwanted physical touching.
Sadly, in our patriarchal male-dominated misogynistic society, victims of sexually harassment who are predominantly women are often shamed, intimidated, disbelieved and revictimized.
That same scenario would seem to be playing out in the high profile allegation of sexual harassment levelled by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against one of the most powerful men in Nigerian politics, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Let me state here that I take no side on the guilt or innocence nor on the veracity or falsehood of the allegation by the senator. Just as sexual harassment is extremely damaging to its victim, in the same manner, false accusation of sexual harassment can cause tremendous and sometimes irreparable reputational and psychological damage to the falsely accused.
Until a few days ago when the story broke, I had never heard the name of Senator Akpoti-Udanghan. My position has nothing to do with her public profile nor position. My position would have remained the same even if she were a pepper seller. The good news about the sad situation is that it enabled her to beam a bright light on the ugly side of our society, our pervasive problem with sexual exploitation and harassment of women to which we have played the ostrich with its head in the sand for a very long time.
“Many on social media have suggested that the lady senator bore a higher burden of proof because ostensibly she had made similar allegations before as if sexual harassment was a one time affair. Yet, no one has suggested that because Senator Akpabio had been accused before, he automatically should be presumed guilty which would be equally as ridiculous as the position many have taken against Senator Natasha.”
In a case of sexual harassment, neutrality is absolutely essential. Both the accused and the accuser must be afforded the same right and no one should be placing a finger on the scale of justice no matter who is involved. In this case, we are not just talking about a finger on the scale of justice but the full weight and force of the powerful senate is being applied punitively against a fellow senator who has come forward with an allegation against one of the most powerful men in the country. If we were planning to send the clear and chilling message to our young ladies, our children and grandchildren, who face sexual harassment on a regular basis, to shut up, suffer in silence, raise no alarm, suffer humiliation and retaliation quietly, we couldn’t have chosen a better case to make the point than the Natasha-Akpabio scandal.
Now, the accusing Senator Natasha is facing her night of long knives with her colleagues, women pressure groups, and socio-cultural association coming after her to assault her reputation, including insinuation that she was a woman with loose moral who has had six children from six different husbands! Yet official records shows she only has three children. Even if it were true that she has six children from six husbands, what business of ours is that? Does that fact only give anyone a license to sexually harrass her?
Her case, not surprisingly, has become a cause célèbre, a soap opera made for TV. In the process the opportunity that this high profile case presents for us as a society to face our national shame in the epidemic of sexual harassment and exploitation of women is being frittered away.
Sexual harassment is one of the most insidious, most embarrassing situation a woman can face. Sadly, it often boils down to ‘he says she says’ as only the two involved often know. Our society has so much sexually objectified our women that most victims of sexual harassment are too ashamed to talk. Women often get re-victimized, or blamed for dressing provocatively and hence blamed for their abuse. We all are aware of this but we only choose to play the ostrich game.
Our society often gives the men the benefit of the doubt. Sadly, it is not unusual for fellow women to join in the attack of the accuser. Many on social media have suggested that the lady senator bore a higher burden of proof because ostensibly she had made similar allegations before as if sexual harassment was a one time affair. Yet, no one has suggested that because Senator Akpabio had been accused before, he automatically should be presumed guilty which would be equally as ridiculous as the position many have taken against Senator Natasha.
With her suspension now, many would see it as an attempt to shut her up. Not only that her constituency would be denied her representation in the senate. Yes, rules must be enforced but the legal system is not a blind robotic instrument of punishment. In this circumstance, hiding behind the rule to yank off a senator who has just accused the senate president, who is nothing more than the first among equals having just been elected like any other senator, smarks of intimidation and abuse of power and procedure.
This will send a chilling message to our daughters and granddaughters. It is a sad day for women’s right, for women sexual and body autonomy and their protection from coercive sexual harassment, abuse of power and sexual exploitation. One can only hope that society with one voice will say enough already. Sexual harassment is a malignancy that our society must attack frontally. Pressure must be mounted on the senate to recall the senator and to allow due process to take place and if she is found to have made a false accusation, the full force of the law should be applied against her. Making false allegation of sexual is destructive to the victims, because it creates the atmosphere of the boy who cries wolf the next time a true victim comes out to lodge a complaint.
Adewale Alonge, PhD, is Founder & President, Africa Diaspora Partnership for Empowerment and Development. www.adped.org
In apparent reaction to the senate debacle, stakeholders in Abuja on Friday, say the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) can help address obstacles and biases faced by women across various spheres.
They spoke at a town hall meeting on the application of FOIA, organised by the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice and the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS).
The event, which had as its theme, “Leveraging FOIA to Promote Women’s Rights and Inclusion in the Fight Against Corruption,” brought together representatives of the Minister of Justice, Minister of Women Affairs, and the Minister of Youth.
Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, noted that increasing the use of FOIA by Nigerian women would help eliminate systemic obstacles in both personal and professional spheres.
Fagbemi was represented by Mr Garuba Godwin, Head of the FOI Unit at the ministry of justice.
“Women should leverage on the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 to accelerate their inclusion in the activities of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“The president is very ready to improve women’s involvement in the governance of this great country,” he said.
He further said that the fight to accelerate action should not be left for the women alone.
“The other gender must ensure that women are not discriminated against as both genders have equal right before the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“According to this year’s slogan, “Let’s Accelerate Action for gender equality. All hands must be on desk to ensure gender inclusivity in human endeavour”.
In her remarks, Executive Director of CTA, Faith Nwadishi, said that the event was designed specifically, to coincide with the commemoration of the 2025 International Women’s Day.
According to her, corruption is almost becoming a pandemic, pervasive and a threat to our collective existence as a people.
“We need not be reminded that corruption undermines the rule of law, perpetuates inequality, and disproportionately affects women and marginalised communities.
“Nevertheless, our gathering today is not to lament and see women as victims of corruption but as amazons and powerful change agents.
“All women need is information, access to resources, and opportunities to be able to demonstrate the transformative role that promotes accountability, transparency and good governance.”
According to Nwadishi, FOIA enables citizens including women to hold governments and institutions accountable for their actions.
“It allows them to track budgets, monitor programmes, and expose corruption where and when they occur”.
Also speaking, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, emphasised that women’s rights, gender equality, and inclusion were causes deeply important to her.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who was represented by EmemMaria Offiong, noted that as Nigeria joined the world in marking International Women’s Day (IWD), it was crucial to highlight the ministry’s commitment to collaboration and creating an enabling environment for these ideals to thrive.
“To achieve this, we need to create more awareness about the Freedom of Information Act, reshape public perception of the Act, and explore various ways to apply it effectively,” she said.
A spat between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate President, Godswill Akabio over seating arrangement had degenerated rapidly to include allegations of sexual harassments, leading to a controversial six-month suspension of the senator representing Kogi Central district.
The Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development says it will broker peace between Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP/Kogi Central) and the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio.
The Minister, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said this while addressing State House Correspondents during the Meet-the-Press meeting on Friday.
The Minister said the allegation of sexual harassment by Akpoti-Uduaghan, which led to her suspension from the Senate for six months, was an unfortunate incident that should not have happened.
“It is unfortunate; we’re going to be brokering peace.
“In the last assembly, we had nine women senators; in this Assembly, we have four. We don’t want to lose any member of the Senate or House of Representatives.
“We want to increase the numbers.
“We will engage all the stakeholders to ensure that they temper justice with mercy,” she said.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim said she was at the National Assembly on Thursday, where they marked International Women’s Day.
She said the last thing the President of the Senate said was, “We’re open to broker peace.
“So, we’re going to be an intermediary between the two parties to see that peace reigns.
“We will continue to sensitise women so that we will work better together as women and men.”
The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct has recommended a six-month suspension for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing violations of Senate rules.
The committee, chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen, submitted its report on Thursday, urging the suspension to take effect immediately from March 6, 2025.
According to the committee’s recommendations, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan will be barred from entering the National Assembly premises during the suspension.
Her office will be shut down and her salary and allowances shall be stopped during the period.
Additionally, she will be prohibited from representing Nigeria in any official capacity as a senator.
The committee also stated that the senator could be given the opportunity to submit a written apology, which may be considered if the Senate decides to review the suspension at a later date.
The final decision will be made after a vote by the entire Senate, which could strip her of all legislative privileges for the duration of the suspension.
Meanwhile, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a new petition accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.
The petition, reportedly signed by her constituents, was presented during plenary on Thursday.
When asked whether the case was before any court, she confirmed that it was not.
In accordance with parliamentary procedure, the Senate referred the petition to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct for investigation.
The committee has been given four weeks to examine the allegations and report its findings.
This is the second time Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has raised similar allegations against the Senate President.
A previous petition was dismissed on procedural grounds on Wednesday.
