Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in an interview with the BBC, made the startling claim after being suspended for six months following her allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Akpoti-Uduaghan's petition, which was submitted two weeks ago, accuses Akpabio of harassing her, a claim the Senate President has vehemently denied. Akpabio’s office has also dismissed the comparison of the Senate to a "cult."

Akpoti-Uduaghan believes the suspension is retaliation for speaking out. She also expressed deep concerns for her personal safety and that of her two-year-old child, especially after her security detail was removed. "I fear for my life and the safety of my child, particularly now that my security has been taken away," she said.

The Senator claims that the harassment started in 2023, following a visit to Akpabio's country home, which she attended with her husband. As one of only four female senators in a 109-member Senate, Akpoti-Uduaghan stands out in a legislature where female representation is alarmingly low, with Nigeria having one of the smallest proportions of women in Parliament across Africa. She also holds the title of the first female senator from her home state of Kogi.

In response to the allegations, Deputy Chief Whip Onyekachi Nwebonyi has rejected suggestions that Akpoti-Uduaghan is being silenced. "Her own legislative activities disprove this claim," he argued, suggesting that the senator’s work in the Senate speaks for itself.

--ChannelAfrica--