Vice Presidential Candidate of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, in 2019, Umma Gesto has reacted to the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Speaking in a recent interview, he noted that a woman could suffer sexual harassment when she does not present herself well.
Gesto, who was speaking about the sexual harassment allegation made against the President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, by his colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, during an interview on Channels Television on Monday afternoon, called for justice in the matter.
She, however, noted that Natasha’s outcry could be detrimental to other women who might want to have a career in politics, as their husbands would be skeptical about allowing them to do so.
“Well, I believe in justice. Let there be justice, whatever it is, whatever it’s not, let it be treated with utmost justice. Let women be treated right wherever they are,” she said on Channels Television on Monday.
“But I’m very, very sorry to say this, a lot of women, when you present yourself well… I’ve worked with a lot of men nationally and internationally, men of a lot of different calibers, but when I hear women say ‘I’m sexually harassed,’ there is a lot of definition to that, or we need to redefine what it is when a woman says she’s sexually harassed.
“And we have seen it in a lot of places in the world, not only in Nigeria, whereby women took advantage of them being women and raised such kinds of accusations for other personal interests.
“We are supposed to talk to prevent or protect the dignity of other women. This, I feel, will raise a lot of questions. If at all, a lady sitting in the Senate, being in that position, is now crying about being sexually harassed by a man, I know a lot of men that are allowing their women to come into the political game will be a little bit scared because it’s like, if at all people of such positions are not protected…
“Now, a lot of fingers will be raised at women like us, that wherever we find ourselves, it’s not about merit, it’s not about our hard work. It will feel like we got there through the window.
“And I’m telling you, I know a lot of women that I respect politically, that they do their work diligently. They are very, very devoted to this journey, and they don’t come through the window; they do it right.
“So sometimes we just don’t do it right. That’s why we end up where we are. So it can be a little bit hurtful to women, but this is just the reality. You have to present yourself well for you to be respected.”
Asked if she has ever been sexually harassed by men in politics, she added, “Never had this throughout my journey. I’ve never.”
DAILY POST reported that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had rejected a new sitting position allocated to her by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-dominated Senate.
The dispute then escalated when Natasha appeared on national television and accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.
The Senate President has since denied the claim.
Natasha was then suspended from the Senate for six months. During this period, the lawmaker is not expected to receive salaries for herself and her staff.
Her suspension on Thursday followed an official petition she submitted to the Senate on the alleged sexual harassment by Akpabio.
She was accused of violating Senate rules.
