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| Natasha being shut down at the Senate |
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of making repeated lewd and suggestive comments towards her, both inside and outside the Senate chamber.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6 for “gross misconduct” following a seating dispute with Akpabio, just a day after she filed a sexual harassment petition against him.
She claims her suspension is an attempt to silence her, alleging that Akpabio frequently made inappropriate advances, sometimes in front of other senators.
Akpabio and his team have denied these allegations, labeling them as false
“He would squeeze my hands in a very suggestive way,” she said.
Recalling a particular incident, she stated, “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 further alleged that Akpabio made sexually charged comments about her marriage.
“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,” she added.
During the interview, Akpoti-Uduaghan broke down in tears when asked about the impact of her allegations and the backlash she has faced.
“People don’t understand what it means to carry this. Maybe we don’t talk about it enough in Nigeria or Africa,” she said, her voice breaking.
“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?”
Despite the challenges, the senator said she has received support from female parliamentarians across Africa, who have reached out to share their experiences of similar struggles in male-dominated legislative environments.
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