In a bold and provocative statement posted on her verified Twitter account early today, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, widow of the late former Governor of Ondo State, has ignited a social media uproar by calling for the Senate President of Nigeria, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to step down amid allegations of sexual harassment leveled against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the representative for Kogi Central in the Senate.
Her post has set Twitter ablaze, generating a flurry of mixed reactions from netizens. Many stand firmly in support of her, while others express opposing views. In her post, she stated:
“In more civilised climes, Akpabio would have, by now, stepped down from office to clear his name and fight his battle. Drafting his wife to fight Senator Natasha is highly disingenuous and an attempt to dodge the bullets thereby throwing his wife under the bus.
Dem miss road be dat!
“Back to the crux of the matter. In the first instance, reassigning seats without one’s knowledge is wrong! It’s disrespectful and infringes on one’s right. Even if it had been done in the past and men for whatever reason, cowardly, decided to keep mute, but a bold Natasha, belled the cat by saying in unequivocal terms, that it was wrong and we took notice.
“A wrong approach can be corrected no matter how long it had been applied. That’s the argument. Some unserious women are talking “cho cho cho,” blaming Natasha for being sentimental, and that has been Natasha’s way. What a pointless argument! Natasha voiced her frustration, ‘having endured a lot,’ according to her. That’s courage! That’s the kind of women we should support to represent us at the national assembly.
“Nigerian women have been so mistreated and overpowered in all spheres of life and consequently, cowed into silence. Is it not a BIG SHAME that Nigeria has only 4 female senators out of 109? We sure needed Natasha’s outburst for the country to take a second look at the National Assembly to know what is happening in those chambers. Not a few Nigerians believe that our interests are not represented at the National Assembly, tagging it as a retirement home which calls for an overhaul.
“Like Rosa Parks, Natasha is on the path to making history. Nigerian women should rally round her. We need more of her type come next dispensation. Good girls don’t get corner office, according to Millie Odiambo, the popular Kenyan female legislator”, she added.
As the conversation unfolds, it is clear that the push for change is gaining momentum, with many advocating for a reevaluation of the political landscape in Nigeria and championing the necessity of female voices in governance. Will Senator Akpabio heed the calls for accountability, or will this controversy deepen the divide in Nigerian politics? The nation watches closely as the story develops.
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