From Femi Mustapha, in Kaduna
A group under the auspices of the Coalition of Female Civil Society Organizations of Nigeria has called for the immediate and unconditional stepping aside of Senate President Godswill Akpabio over alleged sexual scandals involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi State and other related cases from the past.
This was contained in a Statement signed by Amina Usman Zubairu, North West coordinator; Falmata Babagana Gire, North East coordinator; Oyindamola OjulariSouth West coordinator; Chinelo Emeka Augustin, South East, Prisca Planknan Auta North Central, and Linda Emonefe South-South coordinator respectively and made available to the media in Kaduna on Monday.
The group said that the unconditional resignation of the Senate President would allow an unbiased, thorough, and fair investigation into the allegations.
The Statement by the FCSOs is coming amidst allegations leveled against the Senate President for sexual assault by his colleague, Senator Natasha.
The group noted that these allegations are heavy, embarrassing, and an abuse of the Senator’s gender existence as a woman.
They alleged that unless the Senate President had another motive (sexual harassment, which he is accused of) he had no justification for walking Senator Natasha out and threatening her with suspension or impeachment for rejecting a seating arrangement, something he did under Saraki’s leadership, and he wasn’t met with similar action.
The Coalition, citing a newspaper report claimed that Senator Akpabio previously had issues with women.
In 2022, a weighty sexual assault allegation was made against him by former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Joy Nunieh.
According to her, Akpabio promised to make her “NDDC substantive MD.”
The CSO said it is the same tactics Senator Natasha has accused Akpabio of, that if she acquiesced to sexual gratification, she could “enjoy a whole lot in the Senate.”
He also allegedly talked down on another female colleague, Senator Kingibe during plenary and denied her the opportunity to contribute.
“As a Female Civil Society Organisation that is gender sensitive, we frown at these behaviors of the Senate President, we condemn them and also call for his resignation as Senate President to allow for uninterrupted investigations.
As a subject of investigations into sexual harassment allegations, Akpabio should step aside, he cannot be a judge in his case.
“We believe his presence as the Senate President can compromise the course of the investigation. Moreover, this is how this kind of case is handled, for the accused to step aside until his innocence is proven otherwise. Akpabio’s case should not be an exception.
“While we declare our stance on coming out in numbers as high as 5000 to occupy and shut down activities of the National Assembly next week, displaying our anger on Akpabio’s relationship with women, we demand his immediate resignation as the Senate President for the neutrality of the investigation.
“We are also calling on the National Human Rights Commission, Ethics and Privilege Committee of the National Assembly, and other international bodies fighting against gender discrimination and sexual harassment of women to investigate Senator Akpabio for this allegation and previous ones, because an injury to one, is an injury to all.”
