We all are witnesses to the currently raging and heightened tensions within the Senate, from February 20, 2025, subsequent to Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan’s protest over the reallocation of her seat in the chamber, after two Senators defected to the All Progressives Congress. The Senate President, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, instructed that she should be walked out of the Senate, and referred the issue to the Senate Ethics Committee, chaired by Senator Neda Imaseun, to investigate Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, for allegedly defying Senate rules.
The Kogi state lawmaker subsequently took the matter to court, after which she submitted to the Senate, a sexual harassment petition against Senator Godswill Akpabio, on February 28, 2025. Afterwards, following the recommendation of the Committee, despite court injunction on the matter, Senator Akpoti Uduaghan was given a six-months suspension on March 6, 2025, with severe restrictions, including the withdrawal of her security detail, official vehicles, and salary. She was also barred from identifying as a Senator, or appearing at the National Assembly for six months. Her microphone was immediately turned off, and the sergeant-at-arms escorted her out of the chambers. She voiced out and stated that “This Injustice Shall not be Sustained”.
We saw all these play out in the Upper Legislative Arm of the National Assembly. This was how Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was seemingly silenced, for speaking out against alleged sexual harassment, which contradicts moral justice, basic human right, equity and fair play. With her suspension, the nation is currently left with only three women Senators representing the women in the Senate, out of 109 Senators. The consequence is that the Kogi Central Senatorial Zone, as it stands, has no representation in the Senate. This is really worrisome, most especially, the implication of this situation in future participation of women in politics in Nigeria.
Instead of sharing in this passion, most of us are criticizing that her actions have brought the presiding officer and the Senate into public disrepute, prompting calls for disciplinary measures against her. Some have already judged that she was rude and stubborn. Yet her case is still undecided in the court of law. Oh no! We should be reasonable than this!!
The whole scenario unfortunately has exposed Nigeria’s entrenched culture of silence and stigmatization, which has deeply undermined women clamour for empowerment and emancipation. Women have been marginalized and oppressed to the extent that the implementation of 35% gender affirmation has almost gone to oblivion. It does not matter anymore, the effective participation of women in informed policy and decision-making at all levels of governance in our democratic system, forgetting that within every woman lives a powerful force, filled with good instincts and passionate creativity. This societal decadence should not be sustained in our political system, and should be urgently addressed with a whole-of-society approach, instead of considering it as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s case. It is far bigger than this and calls for urgent strategic action to re-orientate our society.
BY EDEL-QUINN AGBAEGBU
