Former lawmaker Senator Ayodele Arise has weighed in on the sexual harassment allegation made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Saturday, Arise noted that attractive women often face unwanted advances globally.
He stated that the situation could have been handled differently by both parties instead of turning it into a national issue at a time when the country faces more pressing concerns. Arise, who represented Ekiti North Senatorial District from 2007 to 2011, pointed out that sexual harassment allegations often draw public sympathy towards women.
He said, “Every woman that is good-looking radically is subjected to such gestures (sexual). Even people take other people’s wives, not even Nigeria. Would that be an issue for the TV for a senator? Of course, it wouldn’t have been right if it had happened. Even compliments like you are beautiful and you are gorgeous could be termed as sexual harassment. So, we need to know where it starts and where the limit is. The one that the law recognises and can be easily proven is if you rape a woman, there are ways this could be detected, and the law would take its course.
“If she were the president of Nigeria, would she accuse anybody of sexual harassment? She is a senator, and what happens to saying ‘no’ when such issues arise? She could have removed her hand when she said the senate president held her hand and let him know that this was a no-go area.
“When Senator Akpabio calls a male senator to see him in a hotel, would he read any meaning to it, on the floor, you are equal. If she doesn’t want to come to the hotel, she can decline the offer. There are so many things that can be discussed in the senate rather than this. This does not deserve the attention that people are giving it.
Speaking on Natasha’s suspension, Arise condemned the senate’s six-month resolution, saying, “When you suspend an elected person, you deprive that particular district of the right to representation. The court, in the cases of Omo-Agege and Ndume, has said those six months are too long. And is not legal. They implied that only two weeks should be appropriate for an erring senator. There should be punishment for breach of senate rules; the idea is to put somebody in order for no more than 30 days.
The ex-senator was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation.
