By SHULAMITE EDANARU
Dr. Blessing Akele, a Social Right Activist , a co-founder of Citizens Movement of Nigeria (CMN) and a former Labour Party Gubernatorial Aspirant in Edo State has called on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio to Apologize to Nigerian Women over assault on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Dr. Akele stated this while reacting to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six months suspension at the red Chambers of Nigerian Senate.
She described the decision of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petition as biased and one sided.
Expressing her displeasure over the role of the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Neda Imasuen who happens to be a member of Labour Party in Edo State, Dr. Akele said that the decision of the committee is disheartening and a threat to silence the Women folks in politics even when they are being assaulted.
According to her, she was outrightly disappointed as Senator Neda Imasuen could not as the Chairman of the committee and as a member of Labour Party resist such rash decision and exercise his right as Chairman to protect the victim of sexual assault in the National Assembly.
“We believe there was no fair hearing, no proper investigation was carried out by the Committee before suspending Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan. In our opinion, the Senate President was supposed to step down to allow proper investigation to take place, but non of such happened. Rather, the assaulted was suspended with her emoluments sized for the next six months, while the culprit walks freely”. She said.
She stressed further that the Senators are ridiculing the National Assembly with their actions. She however advised that to remedy the ugly situation which has placed the Country in a bad light globally, the Senate President should first of all resign while Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan be reinstated and allowed to sit in her original position at the Senate while the Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petition carry out their investigation.
She added with nostalgia that if the Senate President, is not reprimanded for sexually assaulting Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, other Women who occupies public positions might face worst cases with no one to rescue them.
“To show that this Country is serious for once, Senator Akpabio should step aside and apologize to all Nigerian Women for assaulting one of us who has fought so hard to attain the position of a Senator”.
“I am also using this opportunity to call out other Women Senators at the chamber who had remained mute on this matter instead of showing solidarity support to Natasha by boycotting the activities of the Senate until the issue is adequately handled to stand up for their fellow woman as It may be Natasha today, it might be theirs tomorrow.”
“As Women, until we rise up against injustice and Intimidation against Women, we will not make significant progress In the political space “.