Women’s groups in Nigeria are outraged over Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension from the Senate. The suspension came after Natasha submitted a petition alleging sexual harassment by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The Coalition for Women in Governance strongly condemned the suspension, calling it an assault on democracy and an attempt to silence women in leadership. Ambassador Zainab Mohammed emphasized that the suspension defied a court order and attacked democratic principles.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has since apologized to Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for his sexist comment, stating he would never intentionally denigrate any woman.² However, women’s groups demand more than an apology, seeking a reversal of the suspension and an end to gender discrimination in Nigerian politics.