Senator Natasha, the girl-child and kitchen sink throwers

By: UGO ONUOHA 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

Sen Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan orchestrated recall: a new low in misogyny and abuse of power.

By Wale Alonge 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: 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

Ministry of women affairs to intervene in Akpoti-Uduaghan, Akpabio

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. READ ALSO: Alleged Boko Haram funding: senate moves to investigate USAID “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.”

Senate cmte recommends 6-month suspension for Natasha Akpoti

… to forefeit salary and all privileges 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.

Sexual harassment: FG suspends perm sec, orders probe

The Office of the Head of Service has suspended Ambassador Ibrahim Lamuwa, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, due to an allegation of sexual harassment.  Head of Service, Folashade Yemi-Esan stated that Lamuwa will remain suspended pending the results of an investigation into the matter. “The permanent secretary has been suspended pending the outcome of the probe by the committee set up, “ a senior director in the OHCSF told our correspondent in Abuja. Following a petition submitted by Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar against Ambassador Ibrahim Lamuwa, the Head of Service established a committee to investigate the matter.  The petition, filed by Simisola Ajayi through her lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, accused Lamuwa of repeated sexual harassment and detailed the alleged incidents.  In a letter dated May 27, 2024, Tuggar conveyed his concern about the gravity of the allegations involving the permanent secretary to the Head of Service. “I am compelled to write to inform you of a formal complaint against the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ibrahim Adamu Lamuwa, on allegations of sexual harassment. “Bearing in mind the gravity of the matter, I feel it necessary to draw your attention to it and ask that you handle it accordingly,” the minister stated in the letter.

Alleged sexual harassment: Court grants UNICAL Prof N250m bail

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted N250 million bail to the suspended Dean of Faculty of Law, UNICAL, Professor Cyril Ndifon. Prof Ndifon is facing a trial over alleged sexual harassment and gratification case instituted against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The court also granted his lawyer Sunny Anyanwu bail to the tune of N50m among other stringent bail conditions. The court granted them bail on the condition that they will produce two sureties who own properties within FCT with a minimum valuation of 150 million and must submit their bank statements to the court. The court also held that defendants must file an undertaking not to interfere with the case, readiness to attend trial and not to cause delay. Sequel to not guilty plea, Counsel to Joe Agi and Solomon Umoh had urged the court to grant their clients bail on liberal terms, but the prosecution counsel countered the bail application, asking the court to dismiss. Ruling on the bail on Friday, Justice James Omotosho held that while bail is a constitutional right, the court must be guided by the nature of a charge and the possibility of the accused person interfering with the case against him, among other things. He said the defendants are facing sexual harassment offenses through requesting nude videos but they are not capital offense like terrorism. Justice Omotosho however adjourned the matter to February 12, for continuation of hearing. Professor Ndifon was, on January 25, re-arraigned alongside Sunny Anyanwu as 1st and 2nd defendants on an amended four-count charge of sexual harassment and attempt to perverse the cause of justice. Anyanwu, who is one of the lawyers in the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on January 22, by the ICPC on the allegation that he called one of the prosecution witnesses on her mobile telephone during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon to threaten her.