A coalition of over 360 women’s rights advocates, operating under the umbrella of Womanifesto, has called for a public hearing into recent tensions within Nigeria’s National Assembly.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan sparked controversy when she accused the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, of reallocating her seat in the Senate Chambers in order to “silence” and intimidate her.
Akpabio had allegedly threatened to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan for refusing to move to the new seat, escalating the situation to include allegations of sexual harassment.
Womanifesto has insisted that these allegations must not be dismissed, especially in light of similar claims made in 2020 by Joy Nunieh.
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In a statement signed by the Co-convener of Womanifesto, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the group expressed deep concern over derogatory remarks made by Akpabio against female senators, including Senator Akpoti, who has accused him of sexual harassment.
“We expect our lawmakers to uphold the highest standards of excellence and character, worthy of emulation,” Dr Akiyode-Afolabi said. “The Senate President is simply a first among equals, and all lawmakers must be accorded respect and dignity on the floor of the Senate.”
Womanifesto has demanded Akpabio’s immediate resignation to allow for an unbiased investigation and a public hearing by the Senate’s Ethics Committee, ensuring transparency and accountability.
“We stand resiliently against all forms of sexual harassment and intimidation of women in their public and private lives,” Akiyode-Afolabi emphasised.
The statement continued: “While the initial public outburst and escalation of conflict between Senators Akpoti and Akpabio on matters of seat reallocation and alleged denial of legal privileges were serious enough to warrant an investigation, the latest twist has accentuated the necessity for more urgent action.”
“We understand that this original conflict was referred to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for disciplinary review. At this stage, we consider this initial response by the Senate as no longer adequate to assure concerned Nigerians that the facts of this unprecedented crisis will be transparently unearthed and resolved. Given that this crisis has serious implications for the credibility of our highest lawmaking body, the Senate must act appropriately, publicly, and with urgency.”
The statement also highlighted Nigeria’s poor representation of women in politics, noting that the country ranks poorly in Africa for women’s representation in national parliaments, with only 4 women out of 109 Senators (3.67%) and just 14 women in the House of Representatives (3.9%).
“Besides the issue of poor representation of women in public decision-making, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) is at an alarming rate, with statistics showing that 1 in 3 women, across social strata, have experienced violence in their lifetime,” the statement continued. “As women’s rights advocates, we believe that an allegation of sexual harassment against the third-highest office holder in the country cannot be ignored.”
The coalition demands that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, steps down immediately to allow for an impartial investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against him. The group also insists that the investigation be assigned to the Ethics Committee, with the condition that the sitting is elevated to the status of a Public Hearing.
“The National Assembly must recognise that it is equally on trial before the entire nation. Do the actions, structures, and systems of our public institutions protect Nigerian women and girls?” the statement posed.
The group concluded by reiterating their demands:
– Senator Godswill Akpabio must step down as Senate President immediately.
– An immediate investigation into the sexual harassment allegations levelled against Akpabio by Senator Natasha Akpoti.
– A public hearing by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for transparency and accountability.
– All other matters already in court must follow due legal process.
“Nigeria’s poor representation of women in politics and the alarming rate of sexual and gender-based violence underscore the urgency of addressing these issues. We demand justice. We demand accountability. We demand the protection of Nigerian women and girls. It is in the public interest for the Senate to accede to our demand,” Akiyode-Afolabi concluded.
