Ireti Kingibe faults Natasha Akpoti on clash with Akpabio

Ireti Kingibe, the senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has criticized her colleague, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, for her handling of the recent dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over a change in seating arrangements.

Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Friday, Kingibe stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan has received more privileges than other female senators in the National Assembly.

On February 20, Akpoti-Uduaghan engaged in a heated exchange with Akpabio during plenary after her seat was moved. She later alleged that her troubles in the Senate began after she rejected sexual advances from Akpabio.

However, Kingibe argued that Akpoti-Uduaghan was not the only senator whose seat had been relocated, saying that several male lawmakers had also been affected.

“Silence is golden, especially when one of us is not following the rules. As women, we did not want to publicly criticize her, hoping the issue would blow over,” Kingibe said.

“The Senate is not a place to fight over trivialities like seating arrangements. The truth is, Senator Natasha has gotten the most privileges among all four of us female senators. My seat has been moved four times.”

She acknowledged that the Senate has historically not been “gender-friendly” but noted that improvements have been made over time.

On the allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio, Kingibe said she was not close enough to the Senate President to comment on the matter. However, she recalled an instance where Akpoti-Uduaghan mentioned that Akpabio had invited her to a hotel for a discussion.

Kingibe emphasized the importance of following Senate rules, stating, “Women must adhere to the rules of the institution we chose to enter. That is the main point of this discussion.”