Akpoti-Uduaghan: South-South Women Warn Senate Ethics Committee, Call The Senator Hero

By Gideon Njoku

A word of advice has gone out to the Senate and its  Ethics Committee and Code of Conduct to hold it there.

The Committee was mandated by the Senate to summon Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for a possible disciplinary action over her clash on the floor of the Senate with Senate President Godswill Uduaghan.

But on Friday, a group which identified itself as

South-South Women advised the leadership of the Senate and the Committee on Ethics not to plunge the country into pain and tragedy.

The Group also hailed Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for her courage, boldness and contribution to nation-building.

Akpoti-Uduaghan had shocked the Nation when during an interview with Arise Television on its The Morning Show segment, revealed that the genesis of her problems with Akpabio began when she refused his se£ual advances. The group, said:

‘’Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is an hero and a source of permanent and daily inspiration in Nigeria and on the continent’’

In a statement  issued from Asaba, Delta State, the Group urged the Senate Ethics Committee to stop its invitation to the Senator.

Akpoti-Uduaghan has,  however, accepted to appear, but on one condition  – that the proceedings be broadcast live on television for Nigerians to watch.

Entitled ‘’Alienation of Women politicians into Nigeria, fatal misunderstanding, bullying, the rule of conduct in the Senate, abuse of power and precarious authority, the women condemned the threat of illegal actions, discrimination, victimization and other forms of segregation based purely on gender”,  and signed by Chief Rita Okonji, the Group said:

‘’One of the most popular and leading labels often put on responsible and successful women by the detractors is that they are rude. That label certainly does not apply in the case of the recent incident. Even if male politicians and their female lackeys in Nigeria were to shout from the rooftops in an attempt to make the label stick, the facts of the incident will not allow it.

‘’Don’t resist the voice of honour and reason. Don’t insult the intelligence of the Nigerian woman. Don’t make your colleagues objects of ridicule in the eyes of the world for selfish interests. Don’t be too bitter against one another, no matter the differences

‘’Our dignity and survival are seriously being jeopardized through conscious and deliberate actions by the male politicians in the country. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recent action is very healthy and provides the beginning for a genuine change in male’s attitude to women in the country. We hope that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s action will accelerate the efforts to achieve strong voice and respect for women’’

‘’Another matter relating to the state of our nation today which we have to be vigilant about is the moves to shut women out of the system. The dangerous aspect of this is the country’s drift into becoming a government of only men.

‘’How can we be led to believe that individuals full of self-hatred and contempt for women in Nigeria can suddenly become defenders of our interests?  The male politicians in the country lack any substantive reasons to give for the recent incident. They simply beat about the bush with meaningless phrases’’

‘’Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is a good woman, and an upright and virtuous patriot. We bear malice or ill will to none and our reaction is solely in support of gender understanding and human love’’