Ita-Giwa: Female Senators Cannot Be Sexually Harassed
Senator Florence Ita-Giwa has dismissed Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims of sexual harassment, stating that once women attain the position of senator, they can no longer be victims of such misconduct.
Speaking on Arise TV on Monday, Ita-Giwa criticized Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, arguing that making such accusations as a senator is a sign of weakness.
“By the time you contest elections and get to the Senate, you have passed that stage of your life of being sexually harassed,” Ita-Giwa stated. “You go there to serve, and you are all equal in that place. It shows weakness to claim sexual harassment at that level.”
Her remarks come in response to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s interview last Friday, in which the senator accused Akpabio of maligning her and blocking her motions in retaliation for rejecting his alleged sexual advances.
Ita-Giwa, however, maintained that female senators should not present themselves as victims, emphasizing that “you’re there as a person, not as a woman.” She reiterated that female lawmakers should consider themselves equal to their male counterparts, as winning a senatorial election is no easy feat.
When asked if female lawmakers should remain silent about harassment from their colleagues, Ita-Giwa stood her ground, insisting that making such accusations weakens women in politics.
“On this matter, I am not with Senator Akpoti. It is the worst sign of weakness on a woman’s part to come out and accuse a man of making passes at you at that level,” she declared.
Her statements have sparked debate on gender dynamics in Nigerian politics, raising questions about the treatment of female lawmakers and the perception of harassment within high-ranking political spaces.
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