“It’s Weakness to Accuse a Man of Sexual Harassment at That Level” – Ita-Giwa Criticizes Akpoti-Uduaghan

Former federal lawmaker Florence Ita-Giwa has criticized Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for publicly accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment. Speaking in an interview on ARISE TV, Ita-Giwa described Akpoti-Uduaghan’s decision to speak out as a sign of “weakness” and argued that female lawmakers should not complain about such issues at that level of politics.

Ita-Giwa asserted that after securing an election victory, women in the Senate should see themselves as equals to their male counterparts, rather than as individuals vulnerable to harassment. She expressed disappointment in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s public outcry, emphasizing that a woman in such a position should develop the confidence to make herself “unapproachable” to unwanted advances.

The comments come days after Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, accused Akpabio of sexual harassment. While Ita-Giwa acknowledged her respect for Akpoti-Uduaghan, she maintained that airing such grievances publicly demonstrated weakness.

The former lawmaker referenced past incidents in the Senate, including Akpabio’s rebuke of Akpoti-Uduaghan in July for speaking without being called upon, when he told her that the Senate was “not a nightclub.” When asked how she would have handled a similar situation, Ita-Giwa stated that instead of engaging in a public confrontation, she would have called a press conference to address any grievances.

Meanwhile, the Senate has stated that it cannot investigate the harassment allegations against Akpabio without a formal petition.