Following the dispute between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central over seat allocation in the Senate on Thursday, the Middle-Belt Vanguard, a non-governmental organization, has condemned what it describes as widespread intimidation and discrimination against women in leadership.
The group urged the Senate to uphold integrity, justice, and fairness rather than fostering intimidation and humiliation.
In a statement released in Abuja, the group’s president, Godwin Meliga, criticized Akpabio for publicly embarrassing Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, referencing an earlier incident where he allegedly dismissed her attempts to speak without recognition.
According to Meliga, the Senate President’s actions were not isolated.
“On February 20, 2025, Akpabio reassigned Senate seats without consulting or informing the affected senators, including Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan,” he stated.
While acknowledging the Senate President’s authority to allocate seats, Meliga emphasized that fairness requires notifying senators beforehand.
He also noted that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was unjustly silenced when she attempted to raise concerns, with her objections dismissed because she was not seated in her designated spot.
Meliga highlighted what he called a double standard, pointing out that Akpabio himself had previously raised similar concerns during Bukola Saraki’s tenure as Senate President and was allowed to speak, even from an unassigned seat. He questioned why the same courtesy was not extended to Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing it as discriminatory.
The group called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, fellow senators, and Nigerians to support the Kogi senator and ensure she is treated with the respect and fairness due to an elected representative.
Meliga encouraged Akpoti-Uduaghan to remain steadfast despite the challenges, reaffirming that her service to the people of Kogi Central must not be undermined.
He further asserted that the Middle-Belt Vanguard would not tolerate any form of discrimination against women in leadership or any erosion of democratic values in the country.