- Safiu Kehinde
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) lawmaker, Senator Ireti Kinigbe, has dismissed the discrimination and intimidation of female Senators in the Red Chamber as claimed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Kinigbe, in reaction to last week’s clash in the Red Chamber and the alleged sexual advances towards Natasha by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, held that fighting over seat arrangement is out of place.
While admitting that female lawmakers are devoid of certain privileges, Kinigbe revealed that none of the other female Senators have ever experienced such amongst their male counterparts.
The Senate’s Women Affairs Chairperson, however, pledged to support Natasha if she can prove her claim against Akpabio.
“The Senate is not a place where we are supposed to be fighting over trivialities like sitting arrangement.
“It’s a place where we are supposed to fight about issues that affect the people and that’s why this whole thing is a null issue.
“We don’t get privileges because we are only four. We fight together and the fight continues until we get more women in the Senate.
“So if we don’t get privileges, we don’t get them but it does not mean we don’t get our rights.
“The three of us have not been sexually harassed. That’s not to say if Senator Natasha can prove that she has been, that is fine. We will support her.” She said.
Kinigbe further stated that Natasha had never reported case of being sexually harassed to any of the female Senators, adding that she has not spoken to any of them since the clash ensued last till now.
“But she never discussed it with us. I don’t know about it. She did not respond to the rest of the female Senators.
“She has not spoken to any of us through out this whole episode. From change of seat till now, Senator Baligo was with her, trying to talk to her that it can be resolved. She did not listen to her.” The FCT Senator said.
As against Natasha’s discrimination claim, Kinigbe disclosed that she had enjoyed more privilege than other female Senators.
“In fact, to be honest, Senator Natacha has gotten the most privilege of all the four of us. The seats I’m sitting in now have been moved four times. Senator Ipalibo Baligo has been moved at least twice,” she stated.
Meanwhile, Kinigbe- though absent at last week’s plenary, maintained that she was not the only one that her seat was changed last, several male lawmakers also had their seats changed during the rearrangement.
“This is about the rules of the Senate. Other women have been moved several times. On that day, I wasn’t there, but I gathered that several men were also moved.” She said.
While urging female lawmakers to adhere to the rules of the institution, Kinigbe restated that none of other female lawmakers including her has been subjected to harrasment.
“And I’m only here as Chairperson of women affairs. I want women to know we have to follow the rules of the institution we choose to enter.
“Whether there is sexual harrasment between them, they already had personal relationship before they came to the Senate. The three of us had no relationship with Senator Akpabio before we came.” She said.