A Nigerian senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, has claimed that the Nigerian Senate operates like a “cult” and operates under a dictatorship. Her accusations and subsequent suspension have sparked a heated national debate, raising critical questions about gender equality, power dynamics, and harassment in Nigeria’s political sphere.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, a member of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and one of the few women in Nigeria’s male-dominated Senate, alleged that the harassment began in 2023 during a visit to Akpabio’s country home, where she was accompanied by her husband. She claimed that Akpabio made inappropriate physical advances, including squeezing her hand suggestively and making comments hinting at future encounters, which she interpreted as sexual harassment.
In the first TV interview following her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan described her experience of working in the Senate as one where there is “no freedom of speech” and where dissent is not tolerated. She expressed that she was being punished for speaking out and denounced the Senate’s structure, claiming it operated in a cult-like manner, with the Senate President at the helm as a dictator. Akpoti-Uduaghan said her security detail had been stripped after raising the allegations, making her fear for her and her young child’s safety.
She further alleged that the harassment continued with sexist comments during Senate sessions, one of which she claimed Akpabio made about her husband, remarking that he was “enjoying” and suggesting she needed to “move her waist.” According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, Akpabio and other male senators laughed at these comments, further highlighting the misogynistic culture within the Senate.
The Senate, however, has rejected the allegations. Onyekachi Nwebonyi, the Deputy Chief Whip, issued a statement to the BBC, dismissing the claims and asserting that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s own legislative activities disproved her characterization of being silenced. Nwebonyi, who was present at the country house during the alleged incident, also denied that any sexual advances were made by Akpabio.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s accusations are part of a larger conversation on gender equality in Nigerian politics, a country with one of the lowest numbers of female parliamentarians in Africa. With only four female senators out of 109, Akpoti-Uduaghan has been a trailblazer, becoming the first female senator from her home state. However, despite her pioneering role, she has faced immense challenges and pushback within the Senate.
Her petition against Akpabio was dismissed due to “procedural errors,” and on March 6, she was handed a six-month suspension for what the ethics committee described as “unruly and disruptive” behavior during a Senate debate.
The incident has led to calls for reform in Nigeria’s political system, particularly with regard to the treatment of women in leadership roles. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s case has shone a spotlight on the systemic issues women face in political institutions, where sexism, harassment, and a lack of protection for female politicians remain significant challenges.
