Former Presidential Adviser and veteran politician, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding allegations of sexual harassment in the Nigerian Senate. She firmly asserted that female Senators cannot be sexually harassed, dismissing such claims as a sign of weakness.
Senator Ita-Giwa made this declaration while speaking on Arise TV on Tuesday. Her statement comes in response to allegations made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who recently claimed during a live television interview that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, deliberately frustrated her attempts to raise motions about the Ajaokuta Steel Company in Kogi State because she refused his alleged sexual advances.
Reacting to the claims, Senator Ita-Giwa dismissed the possibility of such harassment occurring within the Senate. She argued that once a woman is elected into the Senate, she has risen beyond the stage of experiencing sexual harassment, as all Senators are considered equals in the legislative chamber.
According to her, any female lawmaker who claims to be sexually harassed is displaying weakness. She believes that at the Senate level, individuals should carry themselves with dignity and professionalism, making it impossible for such situations to arise.
In her words: “By the time you contest elections and get to the Senate, you have passed that stage of your life of being sexually harassed. You go there to serve, and you are all equal in that place. And again, it shows weakness; you don’t allow it. It (sexual harassment) cannot happen in the Senate.”
She further clarified her stance, stating that while she is not outrightly accusing Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan of lying, she believes that making such claims at that level of political office is unnecessary.
“I am not saying the lady is lying, but when you get to the Senate, you’re there as a person. You’re not there as a woman.
“At that stage in politics, if you come out and say someone is sexually harassing you, it is a weakness.
“On this matter, I am not with Senator Akpoti. It is the worst sign of weakness on a woman’s part to come out and accuse a man of making passes at you at that level.”
Her statement has since sparked mixed reactions from the public, with some supporting her viewpoint and others criticizing her for dismissing the reality of sexual harassment in politics.