Following Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s Thursday’s statement to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduagha during a plenary that “…We’re not in a nightclub”, a coalition of over 300 women leaders and groups under the umbrella of WOMANIFESTO has condemned the derogatory remarks.

Insisting on “an immediate and unequivocal apology from Senate President Goodwill Akpabio”, the group in a statement titled: WOMANIFESTO CONDEMNS SENATOR AKPABIO’S OURBURST AGAINST SENATOR NATASHA AKPOTI, said:

Womanifesto condemns in strong terms, the condescending manner in which the Senate President Godswill Akpabio addresses female senators, especially his demeaning outburst against Senator Natasha Akpoti- Uduaghan during plenary on Thursday 18th July, 2024. It is highly disappointing that Senator Akpabio displayed utter disrespect and disregard with his choice of words and demeanor while addressing Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan. In a Senate that is highly patriarchal and polarized along gender lines, Senator Akpabio has taken his pitch against women a notch too far.

Womanifesto is a coalition of over 300 women rights groups, activists and advocates. We note with dismay the disparaging words used in an attempt to shut down a fellow Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with the derogatory words – “we are not in a night club”. The best interpretation of this shallow outburst suggests that women deserve to speak only at ‘nightclubs’. It also unintelligently suggests that people who go to night clubs are inferior. We believe that the honorable President of the Senate should understand that both men and women in all walks of life go to nightclubs, and this does not reduce their capability for leadership.

We, therefore, demand an immediate and unequivocal apology from Senate President Goodwill Akpabio. His statement reflects a deeply rooted misogynistic attitude that has no place in our society or our governmental institutions. It is imperative that our leaders exemplify the highest standards of conduct and respect towards all, irrespective of gender.

This incident highlights a persistent trend of gender discrimination and verbal harassment in our political institutions, which should be spaces of respect, equality, and professionalism. Senator Akpabio had in recent times also condescendingly addressed Senator Ireti Kingibe while addressing the dispute between her and Minister of the FCT Mr Nyesom Wike. In the words of the Senate President to Wike “please ignore every distraction (from her)  and be rest assured that no matter what you do, not everyone will praise you. Others will still try to find faults”.

Such language is not only demeaning but also undermines the significant contributions of women in governance and public service.

This affront against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is an affront to all women in Nigeria and especially to our girls who have to surmount myriads of challenges and set backs against equality and gender parity. We will not tolerate any attempt to reduce or shut up women within spaces where they not only belong, but deserve to thrive by merit.

As the third-in-command in Nigeria, Senator Godswill Akpabio wields great influence. We expect that he will use his influence positively, not to stifle women and girls who make up about 50% of the Nigerian population. It is not enough to make grand speeches on International Women’s Day or The Day of the Girl Child. We call on the Senate President to walk the talk, and show a good example by retracting his words and apologizing for this grave lapse.

Signed by

9jafeminista

Abiodun Essiet Initiative for Girls

Above Whispers Foundation

Action Aid Nigeria

ACTS Generation GBV

Ade Grange Child Foundation

ADEM Community Human Development Foundation

Adinya Arise Foundation (AAF)

Advocate for Health and Development Initiative

African Women’s Initiative (AWI)

Ajegunle Community Project

Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation

Alliances for Africa (AfA)

Amazing Grace Inspirations

Aminchi Women Cooperative Society

Amnesty International Nigeria ARDA

Development Communication Inc.

Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation.

ASWHAN

ATATA Development and Empowerment Foundation (ADEF)

Affirmative Action Initiative for Women (NCAA)

Association of Nigeria Women’s Business Network (ANWBN)

Association of Women in Trade and Agriculture (AWITA)

AWEP

ANWIB

AWFAN FEBWE FEDAN

BLECCA Foundation

Bring Back Our Girls

Briskila Emefesi Women Foundation (BEWOF)

Baobab for Women’s Human Rights

Cece Yara Foundation

Cedar Seed Foundation

CEE-HOPE Nigeria

Center for Economic Empowerment and Gender Activities (CEEGA)

Centre for Alternative Development and Self-Enhancement (CEADESE NG)

Centre for Health and Development in Africa (CHEDA)

Centre for Nonviolence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria (CENGAIN)

Centre for Peace Education and Community Development Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN)

Change Managers International Network

Center for Women’s Health and Information

Centre for Media and Development Communications

Civil Resource Development and Documentation Center (CIRDDOC)

Citizenship and Human Development Initiative

Charity Women Spring of Salvation

Chedal Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Child

Care and Adult Protection Initiative (CCAPI) Choung-Dung Women Association.

Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS)

Christian Women in Nigerian Politics

Citizens Center for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR)

Community and Youth Development

Community Education Advancement of Peace and Development Initiative (CEAPDI)

Community Initiative for Healthy and Peaceful Society

Community Life Project (CLP) Community Rescue Initiative (CRI)

Community Women Initiatives (CWI)

Country Associates Network (CANET)

Courageous People Health and Development Initiative (CPHDL)

Crestville Development Foundation (CDF) CWEMA

Daria Media Foundation (DMF)

Development in Practice Gender and Entrepreneurial Initiative (DIPGEI)

Diaspora Womanifesto2019

Dinidari Foundation (DF)

Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF)

Dream Alive Women and Orphans Support Foundation (DAWOS Foundation)

Dr. Oby Ezekwesili

Echoes of Women in Africa Initiatives

Edo Women’s Development Initiative

Education As A Vaccine (EVA)

EiE Nigeria

Emerge Women (EW)

Empowerment and Action Research Centre (EARC)

Equality Through Education Foundation (ETEF)

Equity Advocates/ The Woman Today Newspaper FACICP

Disability Plus

FAME Foundation

Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON)

Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN)

Federation of Paralegal Network (FEDPAN)

Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)

Fembridge Development Initiative (FEDI)

First Future Leadership

FOMWAN

Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FACE-PAM)

FRED

FEDAN

Gender Action Awareness Trust

Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN)

Gender and Development Action (GADA)

Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative (GERI)

Gender Awareness Trust (GAT)

Gender Development Initiative

Gender Equality Center

Gender Equality, Peace and Development Centre

Gender Technical Unit (GTU)

Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI)

Girl Child Advocacy and Education Initiatives

Girl Child Africa

Girl Child Education, Care & Rehabilitation Girl Education Rehabilitation and Care (GERAC)

Girls Power Initiative (GPI)

Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation (GLOHWOC)

Green Spring Development Initiative

Gender Awareness Trust (GAT)

Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN)

Habiba Dangana (Hadis) Foundation

Heal Disability Initiative

Health Education and Human Rights Advocacy Initiative

Health Reform Foundation Of Nigeria(HERFON)

HEIR Women Development (HWD)

Help Initiative for Social Justice & Humanitarian Development

Hope for New Life (HNL)

International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria

Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD)

Inter Africa Committee (IAC)

Inter Gender Peace Foundation (IGPF)

International Action Network on Small Arms Women Network (IANSA)

International Hairstylists, Barber and Body Therapists (IHSTOBAN)

International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH)

International Women Communication Centre (IRIAD)

Iyaniwura Children Care Foundation (ICCF)

Jamatul Nasir Islam, Women Wing

Jana Health Foundation (JHF) Julie Oyegun

Foundation for Justice Development and Peace (FJDP)

Justice Development and Peace Mission (JDPM)

KMashi Gamji Women

Kebetkache Women Development And Resources Centre

Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND)

Kungiyar Tallafin Mata Development Initiative (KTMDI)

League of Queens International Empowerment (LQIE)

League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV)

LEDAP

Lift Initiative

League of Queens International Empowerment

Legislative Advocacy Coalition on Violence Against Women Initiative (LACVAW)

MBULA Women Association

Media &Teens Network

Media Concern Initiative for Women and Children

Media Concern Initiative (MediaCon) for Women and Children

MODAC

Mothers United and Mobilised (MUMs)

More Women in Politics

My Voice My Future NGO

Nasrul – Lahi-L- Faith Society (NASFAT)

NAWE

NNEW

NAWORG

Nigerian Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ)

National Centre for Women Development

National Council of Women Societies (NCWS)

NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women

Neighbourhood Care-Well Foundation

Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN

Next Initiative for Gender Actions (NIGA)

NEWA

NGAS Women Farmers’ Cooperative Society

Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ)

Nigeria For Women Project

Nigeria Labour Congress, Women Committee

Nigerian Express

Nigerian Women Politics Forum

Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NTWF)

Ogayem Merciful Care and Support Initiatives (OMCSI)

Ogun Women Alive

Okwuzi Women Forum

Olive Community Development Initiatives

Onomese Foundation

Open Arms Initiative for Sustainable Development (OPAISD)

Osi Joe Touching Lives Initiative

Ovie Brume Foundation

Partners West Africa

Peasant Dragnet

Princess Olufemi-Kayode

Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI)

Project Alert on Violence Against Women

Ray of Hope Community Foundation

Relief Development Initiative Kaduna

Responsible Citizenship and Human Development Initiative

Sesor Empowerment Foundation

She Forum Africa

Safe Space Initiative

Save a Child Lend a Hand Foundation

Sheforshe Africa Initiative

She Mentors Initiative

Shout Global Health

Small-scale Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SWOFON)

South- South Professional Women Association.

Stand to End Rape (STER)

Stephanie Peace Building Development Foundation

Support For Needy Children and Women Initiative (SUNCHI)

TechHerNG

THR Media

The Inclusion Project (TIP)

The Priceless Jewels Foundation

THR Media – HERFESSIONS INITIATIVE

Tonia Bruised but Not Broken Foundation

Transformation and Development Center (TDC)

Transition Monitoring Group

Tunde & Friends Foundation (TAFF)

UC Women Commission

UTO Foundation

Vision Spring Initiatives (VSI)

Voice of Ogun Women (VOW)

West African Network for Peace WEWENETWORK AFRIQUE WEPDN

Widows Development Organization (WIDO)

Woman-Being Concern Nigeria (WBC)

Women’s Leadership Group (WLG)

Women &Youth Awareness Empowerment Network (WOYAEN)

Women Advocacy, HIV Prevention and Other Diseases (WAHPOD)

Women AT Risk International Foundation(WARIF)

Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC)

Women Aid Collective (WACOL)

Women in Mining

Women and Youth Empowerment for Advancement and Health Initiative

Women Youth and Children Upliftment Foundation (WYCUT)

Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON)

Women education advocacy and development Initiatives (WEADI)

Women Empowerment and Initiative Development

Women Empowerment and Reproductive Health Centre (WERHC)

Women Empowerment Education and Peace Building Initiative (WEPBI)

Women Environmental

Programme (WEP)

Women Farmers Alliance (WFA)

Women for Peace and Gender Equality Initiative (WOPEGEE)

Women for Women International (W4WI)

Women Foundation Initiative (WFI)

Women Foundation of Nigeria (WFN)

Women in Action for Positive Development and Gender Enhancement Center  (WAPGADEC)

Former Women Action Organization (WAO)

Women in Africa Initiative (WIAI)

Women in Agriculture (WIA)

Women in Mining (WIM)

Women in Politics Forum (WiPF)

Women Information Network (WINET)

Women Initiative for Democracy and Empowerment (WIDE)

Women Law and Development Initiative (WOLDI)

Women Law Development Center of Nigeria (WLDCN)

Women Lead Agric (WLA)

Women League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)

Women of Vision Development Initiative

Women Protection Organization (WOPO)

Women Wing of The Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN)

Women, Infants and Children Care Initiative (WICCI)

Women, Youths and Children Advancement Program

Women Optimum Development Foundation-WODEF

Women Right to Education Programme (WREP)

Women’s Crisis Centre Owerri

Women’s Rights and Health Project

Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP)

Working Moms Africa (WMA)

Women Initiative on Climate change

Women in Politics Forum (WIPF)

Women in Management Buisness and Public Service (WIMBIZ)

WISCAR

Women Democracy Network Africa – Nigeria

WomenPreneurs (AWEBO)

Yiaga Africa

Youth Future Savers Initiative (YFSI)

Zonta International Club of Lagos 1

50MAWSP

100 Women Lobby Group (100WLG)

Source: Law and Society Magazine