Natasha: Women coalition demands Akpabio’s resignation, threatens protest

A coalition of women’s associations called the Women Rights and Justice Forum (WRJF) has urged lawmakers in the National Assembly to demand the resignation of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

The coalition cited the sexual harassment allegations involving the Senate President and the senator representing Kogi-Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as the basis for this demand.

As an association that advocates for the protection of women’s interests in the country, it announced that it would organise a gathering of one million people to protest against the alleged harassment of Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Senate President in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of sexual harassment. She alleged that Akpabio blocked her motions from being heard on the floor of the Senate because she rejected his advances.

The Coordinator of the Women Rights and Justice Forum (WRJF), Hajiya Hauwa Suleiman Usman, disclosed the association’s intent to support Akpoti-Uduaghan by demanding the Senate President’s resignation in a statement.

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“Senator Akpabio must resign, or we remain on the roads till he does so,” she threatened.

Usman condemned the act of sexual harassment of women in public offices, noting that the protest will be the first in a series of protests to call for the resignation of Senator Akpabio.

“The decision to embark on the One Million Man March is equally to make a strong statement that women will no longer tolerate such oppression and harassment against women in politics,” she said.

While speaking about recent interviews that have aired on TV stations attempting to discredit Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations, Usman said some lawmakers and members of the public have taken sides against her.

“To serve as a deterrent to other men, we resolved to not only talk but take decisive action to ensure that Senator Akpabio suffers for his actions to harass and undermine a woman for rejecting sexual advances,” she said.