Mistreatment of Natasha: Akpabio a Misogynist, Atiku’s Aide Alleges

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Media adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has castigated President of the Senate, Godwill Akpabio, over the shabby treatment he meted out to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on the floor of the Senate on Thursday.

Ibe described Akpabio as a “misogynist’ who is “intolerant of opposition and a comedian and not a leader of the Senate.”

Akpabio had through the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Ali Monguno, changed the sitting position of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan without discussing the matter with her before carrying out the swapping of her sitting position.

Accordingly, when Natasha went and sat on her usual seat, the Senate Chief Whip, Monguno, raised a point of order over what he said was “improper sitting position” of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

At this stage, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan protested against an unauthorised change to her seat arrangement and raised a point of order (Order 10) of the Senate Rules which has to do with her privileges as a senator, but was ignored by Akpabio.

This made Akpoti-Uduaghan to insist on her right as a senator representing a senatorial district, a development that led to a loud confrontation upon which Akpabio directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to walk Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan out of the Senate chamber.

While the Sergeant-at-Arms moved in to try to escort Natasha out of the chamber, she resisted it just as other senators gathered around her to prevent her being escorted out.

The development later metamorphosed into a rowdy session while Akpabio’s efforts to later calm the situation were met with stiff resistance as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan stood her ground and demanded an explanation for the sudden change to her seat without her consent.

In his reaction to the avoidable incident, Ibe took to his 𝕏 handle on Thursday and expressed displeasure over Akpabio’s disdain for women.

Ibe therefore described Akpabio as a “misogynist”, accusing him of being intolerant toward opposition lawmakers.

Ibe wrote: “It has become obvious to the blind and deaf that Senate President Godswill Akpabio has become obvious to the blind and deaf that Senate President Godswill Akpabio is a Misogynist, intolerant of opposition, a comedian and not a leader of the Upper Chamber.”

Ibe also made reference to Senator Ireti Kingibe in his post, saying that it was the same pattern Akpabio used to treat her unfairly and after which he completely silenced the woman.