Nigerian Senate member, who claimed that she was sexually harassed by a major politician in the country that the BBC was working as “worship”.
Two weeks ago, Natasha Akboti-Odwaghan was suspended for six months after a petition was presented, saying that she was harassed by Senate Speaker Godswell Akabio, which he denies.
His office also refused to compare worship – the last successive development that attracted Nigeria, which raised questions about gender equality in the socially conservative nation.
Akpoti-duaghan said it is punished for speaking against the regime and that she is now afraid and the safety of her two-year-old, as her security details were stripped.
“The Nigerian Senate has been acting like worship. Senate, the Senate, is run like a dictator, not a democrat.
In a statement to the BBC, Senate Vice-President, Salam Onicachi Nuweibouni, said that Senator Akboti-Odwajan has not been disturbed and that its “legislative activities refute this claim.”
Akoti-duaghan, which represents the opposition Popular Democratic Party (PDP), claimed that sexual harassment began in 2023, when she visited Akpabio's rural house with her husband.
She said Akbabio “pressed her hand in an author,” and said, “I will give us an opportunity to come here and a good moment.”
“At any time during the period concerned, the Senate Speaker made any unwanted sexual progress for Senator Akboti at his home home,” Nwebonyi, who says he was also present during the visit.
But Akpoti-duaghan claimed that this was just one incident for many and that the harassment lasted for several months.
She said, while with other Senate members at the Senate headquarters, Akapio made a comment on the effect: “Your husband Natasha really enjoys, it seems that you will be able to make good movements with your waist.”
“This Senate Speaker said,” Akpoti-duuaghan told the BBC.
“He makes very sexual statements and then laughs (Senators). In the Senate, we are all men, you should get used to it.”
For his part, Nuboni said these allegations are “completely wrong.”
Nigeria has one of the lowest female parliaments in Africa.
Akpoti-duuaghan is one of the four members of the Senate in a parliamentary of 109 members, and is also the first member of the Senate in its mandate.
It was refused to seek against AKPabio due to “procedural errors”.
Then, on March 6, the Akpoti-duuaghan Ethics Committee delivered a six-month comment, noting a “unbridled and destroyed” behavior during a discussion in the Senate.
Akpoti-duuaghan BBC told her that she no longer had access to security as a result of comment.
“In the Nigerian space, we have had people over the past decades who have been killed by strong views against the government,” she said.
“If I am taking my child on foot – because I have a two -year -old child – will I be killed? Will I be attacked?”
Civil society groups in the country have expressed their concerns about the treatment of Akpoti-duuaghan, and called for a transparent investigation into their allegations.
“Out of 109 members of the Senate, only four women, and the other is now hanging,” said Hadiza Ado.
While rights groups and some social media users have expressed their support for Akpoti-duaghan, they also have a fair share of critics.
After being suspended, two groups of demonstrators gathered near Parliament in the capital, Abuja – one of whom supports the Speaker and the other to support his colleague, chanting “Akpabio”.
The British Broadcasting Corporation said that Akpoti-duaghan has also been an attack from the abuse of women on social media since the allegations were made.
The scandal is the latest episode in a political profession that was rock from the beginning.
Akoti-duaghan was nominated for the first time for the position of governor of Koji in 2019 and claimed that its nomination had been challenged on its mixed heritage.
She finally appeared in the poll, but she was subjected to physical and verbal attacks during her campaign.
In 2023, she ran to the Senate and lost elections. A young man reconnaissance after Akpoti-duaghan took the order to court, the election result was canceled.
“I thought the worst ended in the elections,” she told the BBC.
“But for women, I think it has never ended, it's just different parts, different seasons.”
Akpoti-duuaghan has taken legal measures in an attempt to cancel its suspension and plans to submit the Senate's contact again with the allegations of sexual harassment.
Despite heavy emotional losses, she said she did not regret speaking.
She said that she is encouraged by her husband, child and fans of supporters outside her family, which includes female policies from other African countries.
She said: “I have received daily calls from women who communicate with me and tell me that they suffer from the same in Parliament, but they cannot speak.”
“They say, Natasha, do that for us. This is my story and my story is the story of many women in Nigeria who does not have the courage to speak.”
