Olusegun Ariyo
The Igbo Progressive Women has called on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to stop embarrassing the Nigerian Government before the international community.
This came amid Senator Natasha’s recent claims that there was a plan to have her arrested upon her return to Nigeria
Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed the move is linked to her participation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York on 11 March, where she raised concerns about her suspension from the Senate and sexual harassment allegations against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
In a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday, the President of the organisation, Chief Mrs Grace Ohabuenyi said the manner Senator Natasha had dragged the matter was beginning to appear that she was being sponsored by certain elements to embarrass the country.
The group demanded that her trip to the IPU be thoroughly investigated to unravel those behind what it called “a calculated attempt to ridicule the Nigerian Government before the international community”.
She wondered why the Senator, who had earlier filed a suit before the court, could not wait for its determination but chose to rush to the IPU to dent the country’s image.
Ohabuenyi said, “We had earlier exercised restraint over this matter owing to the fact that it bothers on a fellow woman, but the dimension it has taken seems there is more to it than meets the eyes.
“We took notice of the statement issued by our sister, Mrs Unoma Akpabio when this matter started, wherein she disclosed that both her family and that of Senator Natasha are family friends. One then wonders why she never mentioned the alleged harassment to the Senate President’s wife, a family friend, but only chose to go public after she went against Senate rules.
“Ordinarily, her outcry would have attracted sympathy, but the manner it was gone, including all the Senators standing together against her, means that she is not on the right path.
“Now, she ran to the international community, where she appeared as a Nigerian Senator, despite being on suspension.
“Our question is- who facilitated her appearance? How did she get there? What were her motives behind running to the international community even when her matter is before a court of competent jurisdiction?
“These questions are yearning for answers and one if forced to say that certain elements who don’t have the interest of the country at heart, could be at best behind this drama.”
The women group, while calling for a thorough investigation of the senator’s trip by security agencies, expressed worry that actions such as this could work against women in politics.
“We have been clamouring that women should be given serious positions in government, but when things like this happen, they demean all our efforts to bring about inclusivity.
“Her actions are now clearly not about the Senate President but against the current federal government, and this is not in the best interests of women in government,” the group further stated.
