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  • Deep-rooted cultural, religious, economic barriers militating against passage of gender bills – Akpabio

    Deep-rooted cultural, religious, economic barriers militating against passage of gender bills – Akpabio

    Senate president, Godswill Akpabio said on Monday, July 29, that notable barriers deeply rooted in culture, religion, economy, and society have been against the passage of gender-related bills by the National Assembly.

    Speaking at the opening of a two-day workshop on gender-responsive budgeting and the role of the legislature in advancing gender-responsive legislation in Nigeria, the Senate President said unless these barriers are broken, it will be difficult to eliminate gender gaps that exist in the country.

    Akpabio spike just as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen assured that the House will ensure that all gender bills that failed passage during constitutional amendment in the 9th Assembly are passed.

    Represented by Senator Sunday Karimi, the Senate President regretted that the most recent interventions that could have made significant contributions to gender equality/equity, namely the five Gender Bills that were presented to the 9th National Assembly in 2022, were all rejected.

    He said: “Breaking these barriers demands huge investments in gender-responsive legislation and budgeting as the take-off point. And we must be intentional about it. This is because the role of gender-responsive legislation and budgeting in addressing gender gaps in governance and development cannot be overemphasized.

    “On the one hand, gender-responsive legislation deals with strategies that make legislation to work for both men and women. In other words, gender-responsive legislation makes legislative systems more responsive to explicit and implicit gender issues.

    “It facilitates accountability – in legislative and policy implementation – to the specific needs of different sexes and different gendered perspectives on pivotal social, economic and political issues.

    “Gender-responsive budgeting, on the other hand, is a strategy that creates budgets that work for everyone in a fairly equitable manner –male and female. It must be without any forms of discrimination, marginalisation or exclusion. In both instances, the main emphasis is on paying adequate attention to the unique and diverse needs of every person in law-making and budgeting.

    “By implication, gender-responsive legislation and budgeting can help to identify gender gaps and inequalities and create opportunities for addressing them. If attained, both can engender a sense of fairness, equity and justice, generate a sense of belonging among all; and contribute to the alignment of national budgets with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Akpabio said the focus on possible legislative interventions for redressing this intractable and seemingly endless challenge of gender equity, or better still, women’s political participation and representation in governance in Nigeria is pivotal.

    He said the outcomes of the workshop will help shape conversations about gender issues before the Constitution Amendment Committee.

    According to him, promoting gender-responsive legislation and budgeting is an expression of genuine commitment to gender mainstreaming, adding that gender issues, being a governance and developmental concern can never be exhausted by any single gathering.

    He said the gender question has been on the front burner of academic, policy and advocacy engagements for decades and may continue for years ahead because of longstanding gender gaps in governance and development. While most of the countries of the world claim to be democratic, the level of inclusion has been very poor for most countries.

    He said the National Assembly is interested in advancing gender equity because they understand its ramifications for sustainable governance, security and development, saying they will deploy all available legislative tools and resources at our disposal to support the actualization of this lofty goal.

    He assured of the speedy passage of gender Bills whenever we receive them, saying, “We also have the capacity and connections to lobby the executive on this all-important matter. I can assure you that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is conscious of these realities.

    “Moreover, gender equity is a critical component of the overall priority of the Renewed Hope Agenda of his government. In the agenda, gender equity is considered as one of the long-term, lasting solutions to the political, economic and social challenges facing the country. The government is on course in this regard.

    “As a responsible parliament, the 10th Assembly under my leadership will also act in solidarity with women caucus of the National and State Assemblies in their rightful demand for improved representation in governance, both symbolically and substantively.

    On his part, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen said the current drive by the House committee on review of the constitution is providing a platform and opening discussions on the same theme to recommend the best possible model for Nigerian legislature on women’s representation and participation in governance.

    He said the agitation by women for equal representation in governance has been an age-long debate that became more ignited after the 1995 Beijing Conference, which demanded thirty-five percent (35%) representation of women in governance.

    Since then, he said, many countries across the globe have adopted different approaches to meet or surpass the goal of affirmative action. Gender-responsive budgeting is part of the strategies to advance the course of gender-responsive legislature.

    Abbas said: “Nigeria joined the rest of the world to ensure women’s inclusion in governance with the National Gender Policy (NGP) initiated in 2006 with a Strategic Implementation Framework from 2008 to 2013.

    “The main objective was to ensure gender equality, the empowerment of women and women’s human rights. For the last nine years, there has been a deliberate policy and focus on gender issues by the government.

    For instance, the Federal government of Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari before leaving office in 2023 approved a new gender policy to span 2021 to 2026 which sets new minimum standards expected to be attained by the Nigerian government to meet the mandate for gender equality.

    “It must be noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is making conscious efforts to align with the new gender policy, especially with the number of women appointed into Executive Council and Department and Agencies of government, while it is hoped that new appointment of women will further expand the inclusion of women in the governance process.

    “This government has been very deliberate on this and it is reflected in all government programmes and activities that women are taking the center stage. 

    “However, despite the notable successes in mainstreaming gender equality in Nigeria, the number of women participating in the decision-making process at formal and informal levels still needs more attention.

    “Women are not only underrepresented politically but equally continue to hold the shorter end of the stick even in the private sector, religious organisations, and community and village governance. Male chauvinism continues to derail the democratic ethos of inclusion and participation.

    Gender equality, especially the political inclusion of women, is a critical issue worldwide, and Nigeria is no exception. Despite progress made in recent years, very significant gender disparities persist in various aspects of our society.

    “Women and girls still face challenges in accessing education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and political representation. Discriminatory cultural norms and practices, limited access to resources and decision-making processes, as well as violence against women, contribute to these inequalities.

    “When we thought that the new gender policy was already receiving attention from the government for improved participation of women in decision-making processes, the 2023 general election was a major setback.

    “How do we explain that out of the 469 seats in the National Assembly, the 10th Assembly has only 3.91% women’s representation?  This is significantly low when compared to other African countries.

    “It is, therefore, a matter of urgency to advance gender-responsive Legislature and the 10th House of Representatives is taking this seriously. It requires increasing female participation in democracy and the Legislature and for female legislators to play strategic roles in the parliament.

    Read Also: Akpabio mourns Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah

    Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Kagilat Ogbara said women have continued to face challenges concerning our social, economic and political well-being.

    She said the Human Development Index of women is lower than that of men, the labour force participation rate of women is lower, the average income of women is lower, and education attainment and access to resources and opportunities are also limited.

    She stressed that the declining trend of women’s participation and representation in governance continues to undermine our efforts to influence policy decisions and get our interests incorporated in government policies.

  • Akpabio: Amendment to 2024 Appropriation Act on Minimum Wage Act expected Wednesday

    Akpabio: Amendment to 2024 Appropriation Act on Minimum Wage Act expected Wednesday

    President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has revealed that the amendment to the 2024 Appropriation Act, which will fund the new minimum wage, is expected to be passed on Wednesday, July 31.

    Senator Akpabio disclosed this while speaking to journalists at the State House on Monday after the signing of the National Minimum Wage Bill into an Act, raising the least wage a Nigerian work at any establishment would be paid from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had put an ongoing Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on hold to receive representatives of the National Assembly, led by Senator Akpabio, into the Council Chambers of the State House for a brief signing ceremony for the Minimum Wage Act.

    According to Akpabio, the new Act applies to all employers of labour in the country, including federal, state, and local governments, as well as private sector employers.

    Akpabio emphasised that the N70,000 minimum wage is not a maximum, and employers with the capacity to pay more are encouraged to do so.

    The Senate President praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to Nigerian workers and noted that the National Assembly passed the bill in one day due to its importance.

    Asked how soon the amendment to the budget would be ready, Akpabio said: “We have gone very far with it and I expect that by Wednesday it will be signed”.

    Expressing his excitement about the new law, the President of the Senate said: “the national minimum wage amendment is for the whole nation; for the federal government, for the states, for the local governments, for the private sector and even for individual employers. So I think this is a great day for the workers in the country. We are not only doubling the minimum wage, we have added something on top. Initially, it was N30,000, now it is N70,000.

    “Like I said, this is minimum, this is not maximum. Any employer that has the capacity can pay as much as you want, but no Nigerian worker will offer services and be paid anything less than N70,000 from today. That is the implication of this Act.

    “It applies all over the nation and we are excited that this is happening at a time like this, through President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a man who cares for the Nigerian workers and you see what we are doing in the National Assembly when it came the entirety of the National Assembly moved and passed the bill in one day out of excitement, we felt that this was not something we could delay. So I think the workers are happy”, he said.

    Also speaking to journalists, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas, said the signing of the new law was a demonstration of President Tinubu’s care for the wellbeing of Nigerians.

    The speaker, represented by the leader of the House of Representatives, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, said: “This is an action from the President to show that he cares about the Nigerian people.

    Read Also: Gatemen, drivers, apprentices can’t earn less than N70,000 – Akpabio

    “In addition to signing the North East Development Commission, the North West Development Commission, and the South East Development Commission, this has never happened in Nigeria.

    “So I think this movement from N30,000 to N70,000 and reducing the negotiation [from five to three] years is a clear demonstration of a commitment to redirect, refocus, and reposition Nigeria for greatness”, he said.

    Also with the President of the Senate at the signing ceremony were the Deputy Senate President, Senate Jubrin Barau, and the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

  • Don’t be used to lead Nigeria into anarchy, Akpabio admonishes protesters

    Don’t be used to lead Nigeria into anarchy, Akpabio admonishes protesters

    President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has appealed to protesters to exercise their right to protest peacefully, without resorting to violence and destabilising the country.

    Akpabio’s message comes after the signing of the National Minimum Wage Bill into law, which sets the new minimum wage at N70,000.

    Addressing protesters, Akpabio warned against allowing themselves to be misled by individuals with political agendas, particularly those who lost out in the 2023 elections, emphasising that the destruction of property would only lead to unnecessary rebuilding costs, diverting funds from development projects.

    The Senate president acknowledged the country’s challenges, including years of insecurity, but expressed optimism in the current administration’s efforts to address them.

    He highlighted measures to ensure food availability and waivers on imports.

    Akpabio urged Nigerian youth to reject anarchy and work towards developing themselves and their communities, rather than engaging in destructive activities.

    “I want to use this opportunity to call on those who are attempting to foment trouble that you have a right to protest, it’s your fundamental right, it’s there in the Constitution, but you don’t have a right to destabilize the country. The right to protest should not be turned into a right to unleash violence.

    “It’s very clear that people who are… it’s already very amorphous, very faceless. So what it means is that people are preparing to loot and go round and do all sorts of things.

    “Where we are today was not caused by one year’s administration, it is the outcome of years of insecurity. Many people could not go to farm for almost 10 years and all that and the President has risen to the occasion.

    Read Also: Akpabio mourns Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah

    “Every food item that is coming in now will come in without anything like restriction, there is no restriction, bringing in food because Nigerians need to eat and at the same time, most things are coming in with a lot of waivers.

    “So for me, I’m excited that yes, indeed the government is doing what it should and we the leaders in the National Assembly, we are touching our various constituencies. So my appeal to the Nigerian youth does not to allow any group to mislead you politically, people who probably did not have their fortunes in the 2023 election and thinking they can come in through the backdoor. That will amount to anarchy.

    “Any destruction of any property will cost money and we don’t have the money. Instead, let’s put the money in developing you and developing your environs instead of going to rebuild”, the Senate president said.

  • Akpabio mourns Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah

    Akpabio mourns Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah

    President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has expressed shock over the sudden death of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah.

    Ubah was until his death, the Senator representing Anambra South in the Upper Chamber.

    Akpabio, in a condolence message by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Eseme Eyiboh, expressed deep sadness over the death of the Senator, saying he has left a void in the National Assembly.

    He described the late Ubah as one of the shining lights of the nation’s democracy and a young democrat with vibrant and resourceful ideas.

    “He was a hardworking and dependable legislator, who believed in equity, fairness and justice and was committed to serving his constituents and the nation at large.

    “Distinguished Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah will be deeply missed by the Senate and the nation. His passing leaves a void in our midst.

    Read Also: Gatemen, drivers, apprentices can’t earn less than N70,000 – Akpabio

    “On behalf of the Senate and the entire National Assembly, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his wife, family, loved ones, and constituents over this untimely death.

    “May his legacy and contributions to our nation be a source of comfort and inspiration to the family, his constituents, political associates and the people of Anambra.

    “May the God Almighty rest his gentle soul in peace.”

    (NAN)

  • Beyond Akpabio’s apology to Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan

    Beyond Akpabio’s apology to Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan

    The Nigerian political space has for decades been dominated by men. The executive, judiciary and legislature at local, state and federal levels seem to have more men. There has never been a female governor so elected on any major political party. There has never been a female Vice Presidential or Presidential nominee of any major political party in Nigeria. Appointments at state and federal levels have never hit the 35% affirmative action mark even when Nigeria was a signatory at the 1995 Beijing Conference.

    The origin of the poor representation by women in Nigeria’s political space is not farfetched. There are fundamental causes of the gender exclusion in modern leadership structure in Nigeria. Modern because in pristine times, Nigeria always had a dual leadership structure where men and women played complimentary leadership roles. With colonialism came the western patriarchal leadership structure that empowered more men than women. But even colonial Britain has moved on. Kier Stammer’s 19-member cabinet has eleven women.

    With the independence of many African countries, power was handed over to men. The men got the financial empowerment and so even political parties were formed and funded by men. Beyond the colonial legacy of mono leadership, the socio-religious issues of culture helps to promote gender inclusion. In most Nigerian cultures, there are gender biases. Religion is also a powerful factor in the ways women are regarded in almost all religions.

    It is therefore not surprising that the political space is monopolized by men who often assume, even if wrongly that leadership is a male exclusive. This then explains why in the Nigerian democratic journey, women have been more or less outsiders. From the structure of the political parties, executive leadership positions seem a male exclusive with mere ‘Women Leader’ positions often left for the women not as an empowerment position but as a politically expedient  position for the mobilization of women and youth voters.

    The gender injustice in Nigerian political space can only be solved through a constitutional amendment and the enabling laws passed  by  the National assembly but none seems to have happened. The 9th National Assembly that had seven female senators and about 22 House of Reps. members threw out about five Gender Equity Bills as more men  voted against it. Sadly, in the 10th Assembly, there are even less female senators during the 9th assembly so it gets progressively worse instead of getting better.

    The National assembly has just 4 female Senators out of the 109 senators which is about 2.7% while the House of Reps went from about 22 female senators to 19 representing 4.2% of the 360 house members. State House of Assembly even have less women. Some houses of assembly especially in the northern part of the country have no female members. What this implies is that issues like reproductive health and other women issues have no female imput.

    Conversely, Rwanda has the record of having more female parliamentarians than anywhere in the world with more than  61%. Kenya had a constitutional amendment in 2010 that made it unconstitutional for any gender to have more than two third representation. That amendment led to the election of three female governors and the number went up to seven in the 2022 elections.  These are smaller countries than Nigeria  but the seeming giant of Africa seems to be lagging behind in gender justice.

    It is a known fact that countries with fewer opportunities for women are often the underdeveloped countries. Nigeria has more than 133million people living in multi-dimensional poverty with more than 20million out-of-school children. The non-formal sector of the economy contributes a great percentage to the country’s GDP and the disempowerment of the key drivers- women shows in the economic strength of a country.

    In the light of these political existential realities therefore, it is curious that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio have had series of verbal tirades against a few women in public offices. First it was the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Joy Nunieh, a lawyer when he was the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. Both had faced the House Committee on Niger Delta over some allegations of financial scandal in 2020.  The then minister had alleged that the woman had married several husbands while the woman had alleged sexual harassment by Senator Akpabio.  She was in office for less than a year.

    Read Also: Gatemen, drivers, apprentices can’t earn less than N70,000 – Akpabio

    Recently again, the Senate President had intervened in the verbal exchange between the Senator Representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe and the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike by advising the minister to ignore ‘detractors’ after the Senator complained that there were urgently needed infrastructure in the FCT that the minister should address and that she was not being carried along as a representative of the people. The statement was seen as undermining the status of Senator Kingibe.

    Just recently, the Senate President was trending on the social media for shutting down Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan during plenary and telling not to speak without him recognizing her to do so. He had added, “…the senate is not a nightclub”. Many Nigerians saw that as very derogatory and assumed that the statement had some gender-based biases. The outrage was expressed loudly enough to attract an apology from the Senate President.

    Many feminist groups alleged that the Senate President was being sexist and recalled the previous times he had insulted women. He was forced to publicly apologize to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan but he claimed that the interest in the social media shows that “we have enemies”.  He added that, “the people should concentrate on things that will move this country forward”. He cautioned social media users, “to practice with decorum, we won’t out of anger regulate social media” , he concluded.

    He went further to say that he has four daughters and would not intentionally denigrate women, “I will not intentionally denigrate any woman and I will always pray that God will uplift women”, he added.

    While the Roundtable Conversation feels the Senate President did the right thing by apologizing to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, we view his behavior as shocking but not surprising. Most men see women in public offices as ‘intruders’ in some ways. Women are often muscled out of political participation across the country. It is particularly worrisome that the same Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had to retrieve her mandate from the courts after what seemed like a long tortuous odyssey in politics in her home state of Kogi.

    Her 2018 attempt at contesting for the senate seat to represent Kogi Central under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) saw her go through a lot including the burning down of her office. She was bruised but not defeated. In 2023, she re-contested under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It was alleged that the then governor, Yahaya Bello in a bid to hamper the transportation of electoral materials to her Senatorial district, influenced the excavation of parts of the road and allegedly claimed that it was to prevent access by hoodlums.

    Being popular with her people, she won the election even though her opponent was declared winner. She retrieved her mandate from the courts. She is a metaphor for what most women experience in politics in Nigeria. In a way, she can be said to have been lucky to escape all the violence against her. Another woman, Salome Abuh, a PDP Women Leader was burnt alive in her home in 2019 by assailants alleged to be from the opposition. The killer, Ochoi Edicha was sentenced to 12 years in jail.

    Many women in politics have reported various degrees of abuse from their male counterparts. Some are even taunted as prostitutes just because they attempt to access leadership positions at various levels. Beyond the monopolization of party executive position seen as very powerful for electoral victories, women suffer financial handicaps because the Nigerian political system is not structured for transparent financial accountability and this leads to money playing a huge role in who accesses political positions either at party primaries or general elections.

    Even though the Senate President apologized to the female senator, the impact of his remark remains. It is very stereotypical of many male politicians to pass snide remarks on women who share the same space just to mentally defeat the women. This is not good for our democracy. Nigeria with a population of more than 200 million cannot develop without its other population. There must be a level field and women must be given their due respect at all times.

    Public office holders like the senate President who is getting more notorious for his public gaffs must realize that certain positions are like a lamp on the mountain top. Younger men and even his own daughters are watching and he ought to know that with positions of power come certain responsibilities. Too few women are in the senate in Nigeria. A  Senate ratio of 4:105 for women Vs. men is very discouraging for a country like Nigeria with the class of intellectually sophisticated women that can contribute to national development.

    Gender equity and justice must not be mere rhetoric. Politicians in Nigeria must realize that the underdevelopment in the country is often linked to the absence of women in strategic political positions especially in the legislative houses where laws are made and oversight functions carried out on the executive.

    The fact that many women occupy leadership positions in the financial sector, academia, businesses and agriculture shows their capacity and the political space can benefit from the brilliance of many Nigerian women. Is it not interesting that in the recent UK elections, of the eight British-Nigerians elected into parliament, six are women? Nigerian men must understand the idea of a bird being unable to fly with just one wing. The poverty level in Nigeria says something about gender and youth exclusion.

    • The dialogue continues…
  • Gatemen, drivers, apprentices can’t earn less than N70,000 – Akpabio

    Gatemen, drivers, apprentices can’t earn less than N70,000 – Akpabio

    Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said employers are now mandated to pay their staff a minimum wage of N70,000.

    He emphasised that even small-scale employers, including those in informal sectors like domestic work and tailoring must adhere to the minimum wage when hiring additional help.  

    Akpabio said this while passing the new minimum wage bill into law on the floor of the senate. 

    Read Also: Akpabio apologises to Natasha-Akpoti over ‘night club’ remark

    He said: “If you’re a tailor and you employ additional hands, you can’t pay the person below N70,000. If you have a housemaid, you cannot pay them below N70,000. If you hire a driver or a gateman, you cannot pay them below N70,000.” 

  • Akpabio apologises to Natasha-Akpoti over ‘night club’ remark

    Akpabio apologises to Natasha-Akpoti over ‘night club’ remark

    • Kogi Senator worried over state of women in politics

    Senate President Godswill Akpabio has apologised to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) over his ‘night club’ remarks.

    Akpabio, last week, told Akpoti-Uduaghan not to speak like she was in a ‘night club’ during a session after she spoke without being recognised during a session.

    The Senate president had asked for a voice vote, and while the ‘nay’ response came the loudest, Akpoti-Uduaghan rose to explain why she and some others took that stand.

    She said: “Mr President, we don’t want it to be killed. We just want a bit of modification. We don’t want the bill killed, but there should be slight modification.”

    But Akpabio, in responding to her, said: “You see Senator Natasha, in the chamber, you have to be recognised before you speak. We’re not in a night club.” He has however said his ‘night club’ remark was reported out of context.

    Read Also: Believe in yourselves, First Lady urges youths

    Speaking yesterday, he said: “We are still learning, even those of us who have been in the Senate for 16 years, we are still learning.

    “But in the cause of speaking with one of my distinguished sisters on not speaking when not recognised, I made reference to the fact that we are not in a night club where people have to shout above the noise of the music.

    “The social media went agog, my wife called me that they published her number and she received around 2,000 to 3,000 calls per day. I’m happy with the interest generated by Nigerians with what goes on in this chamber because we are here for their interest.

    “The communication was totally misunderstood, instead of making meaning with what we said, they went into private abuse; I don’t want to say what they did to me.

    “I will not intentionally denigrate any woman. I have a wife and four daughters and I always pray that God will lift a girl to the highest zenith in Nigeria, politically and in business. So Senator Natasha I want to apologise to you if you felt offended.

    “There is nothing I will say that would not be misrepresented; I felt I should tender a public apology to you.”

    Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has however lamented the extreme danger of politics in Nigeria, especially for women.

    Speaking at the ECOWAS Female Parliament Association spotlight initiative titled ‘Rethinking Women’s Proportional Representation in Governance: Case Study of Nigeria’, the lawmaker, according to a statement by her media aide, Arogbonlo Israel, highlighted the high cost of politics in Nigeria which puts women at a disadvantage as most men are more financially stable than women in Nigeria.

    She said: “Politics is extremely dangerous in Nigeria. In Nigeria, you can’t be gentle as a woman. I honestly wish politics in Nigeria would not be so tough because when a woman who is born to nurture becomes too tough, it’s not good.

    “I am so tough now that I rarely cry except maybe something totally touches my heart that I pushed myself. That is what violence teaches you, so I have to constantly tell myself, do not let your experiences change you because I don’t want to be like those who attacked me.”

  • I have only one wife – Akpabio denies rumours of extra-marital affairs

    I have only one wife – Akpabio denies rumours of extra-marital affairs

    Senate President Godswill Akpabio has denied rumours that he has multiple girlfriends or is involved in extramarital affairs.

    Addressing the rumours, Akpabio stated: “In my tradition, we marry only one wife. They listed so many wives on social media. At the end, it will look as if the Senate president has so many wives, but I’m reporting to my colleagues that I have only one (wife), and I’m satisfied with that one.”

    Akpabio emphasised his respect for women and commitment to his wife, Ekaette.

    Read Also: UPDATED: Akpabio apologises to Natasha over ‘night club’ remark

    The Senate president’s denial comes amidst speculation and social media buzz surrounding his personal life.

  • Northern women group hits Akpabio over ‘night club’ remark against Natasha

    Northern women group hits Akpabio over ‘night club’ remark against Natasha

    Women from the North have blasted Senate President Godswill Akpabio for his alleged disrespectful remarks directed at Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan during last week’s plenary.

    In a statement signed by the 20-member body Voices for Inclusion and Equity for Women (VIEW), the women condemned Akpabio’s actions as a blatant display of disrespect and gender bias.

    The release, titled: “Restoring integrity: The imperative of respecting female Senators in Nigeria’s Democracy,” stated Akpabio’s remarks go beyond an isolated insult but “symbolise the maintenance of gender hierarchies and the silencing of female voices in critical political spaces.”

    They further noted it was not the first instance of such behavior from Akpabio, alleging he recently silenced Senator Ireti Kingibe in a similarly dismissive manner, underscoring what they describe as a troubling pattern.

    “Comparing a female senator’s parliamentary conduct to nightclub behavior is both sexist and an explicit attempt to bully and trivialize her contributions, diminishing her standing as a legitimate political actor. 

    “Such comments from the Senate President undermine the integrity of the Senate and contribute to a culture where women are undervalued and disrespected,” they stated. 

    Among the notable signatories were Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, CEO of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF); Nguyan Shaku Feese; Senior Strategic Adviser for the DFID Funded, Teacher Development Programme (TDP), Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi, Secretary General of Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA); Amina Salihu, Deputy Director  Nigeria,  MacArthur Foundation; Ier Jonathan-Ichaver, Co-Founder of Sesor Empowerment Foundation.  

    Other prominent figures include Fatima Akilu, Executive Director of the Neem Foundation and former special advisor on national security; Ene Ede, a leading gender activist and advisor; Maryam Uwais, former special advisor on social investments to President Muhammadu Buhari;  Kadaria Ahmed, Nigerian journalist and CEO Radio Now,  and Aisha Waziri, co-founder of Revive Nigeria Group and former candidate for House of Representatives from Borno State.

    Prominent activists and leaders such as Zainab Salihijo,  Asmau Joda, Ene Orgah, Larai Ocheja Amusan, Mairo Mandara, and Maryam Lemu were also part of the group.

    Rekiya Abaji, Sa’ida Sa’ad, Ummahani Amina, and Zaynab Musa further reinforced the collective by signing the release also.

    The group emphasized that their members were drawn from North Central, North East, and North West Nigeria and is a coalition committed to fostering equitable, inclusive, and just societies for women across the Nation. 

    Read Also: UPDATED: Akpabio apologises to Natasha over ‘night club’ remark

    They noted that in a functioning democracy, especially a nascent one like Nigeria’s, every voice must be respected, regardless of gender. Dismissing female leaders with misogynistic comments undermines robust debate and diverse perspectives, which are crucial for effective policy making. 

    “Such attitudes reinforce harmful stereotypes, discourage women’s political participation, and perpetuate a male-dominated landscape. This is particularly detrimental for regions like northern Nigeria, where women face even more significant barriers to public office.”

    The group also noted that further reactions on the matter, which would be geared towards ensuring redress and a culture of ethical behavior in public life would be welcomed.

  • Actress denies alleged affair with Senate President Akpabio

    Actress denies alleged affair with Senate President Akpabio

    Actress Dakore Egbuson-Akande has denied allegations of an extramarital affair with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

    The rumors, which surfaced in a recent viral report, alleged Egbuson-Akande was one of Akpabio’s “side chicks.”

    In a statement on her official Instagram page, Egbuson-Akande described the allegations as “wicked lies” and expressed shock and disappointment.

    She categorically denied ever meeting Akpabio, stating that she has never been in the same room as him.

    Egbuson-Akande, who is married with two children, also challenged the perpetrator of the rumor to come forward with evidence, offering a N5 million reward.

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    She emphasised commitment to protecting her reputation and threatened legal action against those responsible for the false allegations.

    “I saw text messages and calls this morning, alerting me to a very wicked lie from the pit of hell. I must say that I’m very disappointed, shocked and appalled. And I want to categorically state that I have never ever met the Senate president in my life.

    “I have not had any cause to be in the same room with him, not to talk of being his side chick. I’m happily married with two beautiful children. So for a jobless, wicked blogger to decide to put my name amongst women who have been with this man is totally wicked and unfounded.

    “It is a lie and I am ready for any legal action because, at this point, you have messed with the wrong person. I keep to myself, mind my business, I drink water and I do my work. So for someone to want to tarnish my hard-earned name and image for some clicks, no way.

    “I’m not going to accept it or going to be quiet about it. I want to put it out there. Anyone who can provide video or audio evidence that I have been with this man, I would give you N5 million right now,” she wrote.