Senator Natasha Decries The Dangers Of Politics For Women

The lawmaker representing Kogi Central senatorial district at the Senate, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has lamented the extreme danger of politics in Nigeria, especially for women.

She also stressed the importance of enhancing collaboration between the Senate and government agencies to ensure effective governance and sustainable development.

Speaking at the ECOWAS Female Parliament Association spotlight initiative titled: “Rethinking Women’s Proportional Representation in Governance: Case Study of Nigeria” on Monday, Akpoti-Uduaghan, according to a statement by her chief press secretary, Arogbonlo Israel, in Abuja, 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.

“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,” she said.

The Kogi lawmaker emphasised the financial aspect of politics, stating that running for office in Nigeria is expensive.

She also shared her motivation for joining politics, expressing her desire to bring democratic dividends to her people.

Narrating her political journey, she described her intentional move to join politics in 2018, the challenges she faced during elections, and her determination to serve her community.

Akpoti-Uduaghan highlighted the need for a less financially burdensome electoral process and expressed her interest in studying the independent candidature system in Liberia as a potential solution.

She also touched on the personal sacrifices she made for her political career, including surviving accidents and enduring physical hardships while running for office.

She spoke about the challenges women face in Nigerian politics, including the loss of dignity and the cultural barriers they encounter.Related News

She urged male leaders to be mindful of their words when addressing women in politics, adding that they should rather support and encourage women in their political endeavours.

She advised women to carefully craft their political agendas and be mindful of overpromising during their campaigns, sharing her own experiences and the toll it took on her health.

She also mentioned her collaboration with Senator Ireti Kingibe to present a bill for gender equity, focusing on 45% women inclusion.

Also Speaking at the ongoing three-day retreat for the Senate Committee on Local Content in Abuja, Akpoti-Uduaghan stressed that collaboration between the Senate and government agencies is crucial for achieving greater output and benefitting Nigerians.

The retreat, with the theme: “Creating Synergy for Sustainable Local Content Development,” aims to foster a collaborative approach to governance and promote effective local content development in Nigeria.

“Lack of collaboration among government agencies has led to poor output, and it’s imperative that we work together to drive sustainable local content development.

“Synergy between lawmakers and government agencies will translate to the greater good of Nigerians and increase productivity,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said.

The senator also called for transparency in the operations of government agencies to enable them to diligently and effectively carry out their oversight function.

She mentioned instances where the committee’s letters to NCDMB and the Central Bank inquiring about the amount of money in the Nigerian Capital Development Fund (NCDF) were not addressed.

The lawmaker disclosed that the committee’s interaction with the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) revealed $43 million in human capacity development linked to the $4.451 billion Train-7 project.

She noted the committee’s engagement with Brentex CPP and Oilserv, overseeing the $2.8 billion Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project, which uncovered $25 million worth of human capacity development.