‘Women Can’t Be Sexually Harassed When They Become Senators ... If You Come Out and Say Someone is Sexually Harassing You, It Is a Weakness.” –  Ita-Giwa

Israel Adeleke

OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA OTN News reports that in the midst of heated dispute between Akpabio and Natash, the Former Presidential Adviser, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, has faulted Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment claim, saying once women become senators, they can’t be sexually harassed, adding that at that stage in politics, if you come out and say someone is sexually harassing you, it is a weakness.

OTN News further reports that the former president said this while reacting to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual allegation against the Senate President on Arise TV on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

OTN News recalls that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had recently claimed on a live television programme that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, frustrated her moves to raise motions about Ajaokuta Steel Company in Kogi State because she refused to sleep with him.

However, the allegation has gained wide spread discussion as the house of the senate remains a confusion house.

Subsequently, speaking at the live programme, the former lawmaker for Cross-River South Senatorial District believes it is a sign of weakness for female senators to complain about sexual harassment.

According to her, “By the time you contest elections and get to Senate, you have passed that stage of your life of being sexually harassed. You go there to serve, and you are all equal in that place. And again, it shows weakness; you don’t allow it. It (sexual harassment) can not happen in the Senate.

“I am not saying the lady is lying, but when you get to the Senate, you’re there as a person. You’re not there as a woman.

“At that stage in politics, if you come out and say someone is sexually harassing you, it is a weakness.” Ita-Giwa Said.

However, OTN News observes that when asked if female lawmakers should keep quiet when their colleague sexually harasses them, Ita-Giwa insisted that it is a sign of weakness for female senators to accuse their colleagues of making passes at them.

She explained, “On this matter, I am not with Senator Akpoti. It is the worst sign of weakness on a woman’s part to come out and accuse a man of making passes at you at that level."

She however, maintained that female senators should see themselves as equal lawmakers to their male counterparts because winning senatorial elections is not easy.