A former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Florence Ita-Giwa, has expressed concerns about the Akpabio-Natasha sexual harassment allegations, citing that the move for such a lame accusation is synonymous with weakness.
Nigerians have given diverse hot takes on the harassment issue following the revelation by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Arise TV that her propositions were objected to by the President of the Senate over her refusal to be his bed-sharer.
While some factions of the hot takes condemned the alleged act by the Senate President, others, like Florence Ita-Giwa on Tuesday, the 4th of March 2025, clapped back at Senator Natasha with views that the Red Chamber is a powerful position in Nigerian politics and that everyone is there to serve.
Her words:
“By the time you contest elections and get to the Senate, you have passed that stage of your life of being sexually harassed. You go there to serve, and you are all equal in that place. And again, it shows weakness; you donโt allow it. It (sexual harassment) cannot happen in the Senate.
I am not saying the lady is lying, but when you get to the Senate, youโre there as a person. Youโre not there as a woman.
At that stage in politics, if you come out and say someone is sexually harassing you, it is a weakness.โ
We can’t categorically tell if the weight-throwing is a result of Niger-Delta affiliation or the truth as it should be. We, however, believe that anyone with the mandate to oversee the affairs of the legislative body of the country should do so without sentiments.
Conclusively, and perhaps in an attempt to pitch her tent, Florence Ita-Giwa added:
“On this matter, I do not agree with Senator Akpoti. It is the worst sign of weakness on a womanโs part to come out and accuse a man of making advances at her at that level.โ
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