The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Hajia Imaan Suleiman, has described the sexual harassment allegations in the Senate as “unfortunate,” emphasizing that such incidents should not occur in the National Assembly.
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, ahead of International Women’s Day, Suleiman expressed concern over the declining representation of women in the legislature.
Her remarks followed the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over alleged violations of Senate rules. Akpoti-Uduaghan, who had accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, was sanctioned by the upper chamber, reducing the number of female senators to three out of 109.
Suleiman pledged to engage with the Senate to mediate and seek an amicable resolution. She stressed the importance of increasing women’s participation in governance and ensuring their voices are heard in decision-making.
“It’s an unfortunate incident that should not happen. In the last assembly, we had nine female senators; in this assembly, we have four. We don’t want to lose any more women in the Senate or the House of Assembly,” she said.
The Minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to advancing women’s representation in politics and called for greater collaboration between female politicians and their male counterparts.
“We want to increase the numbers. We will engage all stakeholders to ensure justice is tempered with mercy. The Senate President has expressed openness to brokering peace, and we will act as intermediaries to ensure a resolution is reached,” she added.
Suleiman also underscored the need to sensitize women in politics, highlighting the urgency of fostering a more inclusive legislative environment.
