What Akpabio said about my waist, Natasha Akpoti
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of making repeated indecent and inappropriate remarks towards her.
On March 6, Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate for “gross misconduct and unruly behavior,” following a dispute over her seating arrangement with the Senate President. Her suspension occurred just a day after she filed a sexual harassment petition against Akpabio on the Senate floor.
In an interview with the BBC, Akpoti-Uduaghan reiterated her stance, asserting that the “gross misconduct” allegation was merely a pretext to suppress her voice. She claimed that Akpabio frequently directed sexual advances toward her.
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.
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 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 workplaces.
Responding to the interview, the senate’s deputy chief whip, Onyekachi Nwaebonyi 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.
This claim is not true,” he said.
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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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