By Kolawole Ojebisi
Amnesty International has asked the Nigerian authorities to institute what it described as an “independent and impartial investigation” into the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against Senate President, Godswill Akpabio by the suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The human rights group said this while responding to the development rocking the Senate.
This is contained in a statement issued and signed by Isa Sanusi, the AI’s director in Nigeria, on Sunday.
The human rights organisation wrote “Amnesty International calls on the Nigerian authorities to immediately institute an independent and impartial investigation into the allegations of sexual harassment by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against the President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio.
“The weight and scale of the allegations of the sexual harassment are one more pressing reason for establishing an independent, resourceful and impartial investigation.
“The National Assembly must not continue to look away while the allegations remain and are being trivialized, unaddressed and ignored.
“Blatant failure of the authorities to investigate the allegations raised by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan will have devastating consequences, that include perpetuating a system that makes it increasingly difficult for survivors of sexual harassment to get justice, while allowing perpetrators to get away with gross human rights violations. This is one case that the authorities can use to show that there is zero tolerance for sexual harassment – no matter who is involved.
“The fear of not being believed, or even being blamed, is already creating a dangerous culture of silence that prevents women who faced sexual harassment from seeking justice. The tide of sexual impunity against women and girls must be turned now.”
Recall that the Kogi lawmaker, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had accused the Nigeria’s number three citizen of depriving her rights to represent her people after she rejected sexual advances from him.
Natasha also claimed that Akpabio’s disposition prevented her from contributing to debates and table matters affecting her constituents on the floor of the senate.
She made these allegations following row between her and Akpabio during plenary which was prompted by seat relocation.
Natasha’s confrontation with the Senate President earned her six months suspension, among other punitive actions, from the disciplinary committee of the Red Chamber.
However, while the Kogi lawmaker was suspended for six months over “unruly conduct”, Akpabio had carried on with his duties despite growing calls for probe.
