She accused the Senate Speaker of harassment. The reverse reaction was quickly.

When the third most powerful politician in Nigeria was accused of sexual harassment on national television this year, this was followed by a violent reaction – against his accused.

Natasha Akboti-Odwajan, one of the four women in the Senate in Nigeria 109 seats, was suspended for six months without pay in February. She said the comment was a punishment for speaking against Godswill Akpabio, Senate Speaker.

Then, angry voters began in its electoral district in the center of Nigeria in the campaigns to remove it.

This ordeal has highlighted what women in Nigeria say is the sexual discrimination facing politicians in their country, and the dangers of speaking in a nation in which few women are political power.

Nigeria is the most country in Africa in Africa and the second largest economy in Africa in Africa in Africa, but it has the least representation of women in Parliament on the continent. It ranks fifth in the world.

Through a written response sent by a lawyer, Mr. Akabio rejected the accusations of Mrs. Akpoti-leduaghan, and refused to request the interview, pointing to the ongoing legal procedures.

“It is the first at this level in Nigeria,” said Obigili Hezeli, the former Nigerian Minister of Education, on the accusation against this high -ranking official. She added: “It is a classic abuse of power, as women are deprived of the right to listen.”

Ms. Hotel – 45, Which was elected in 2023, he said that Mr. Akbabio made sexual progress in December that year when she and her husband visited the house of Mr. AkPabio. She said that Mr. Akbio pressed her hand and told her, “I will put an opportunity for us to come here and for a good moment.”

Mrs. Akpoti-upuaghan said that Mr. Akpabio later invited her to a hotel and made obscene statements in the Senate building, including, “You can enjoy a lot of benefits if he made me happy,” said Mrs. Akpoti-duaghan said that Mr. Akpabio later invited her to a hotel and made obscene statements in the Senate building, including, “You can enjoy a lot of benefits if he made me happy.”

In an interview with the New York Times, Mrs. Akboti-Odwagan said she continued to refuse to progress, but she did not talk about it or filed a legal complaint.

“The moment you talk about sexual harassment, you are guilty,” she said. Throughout her campaign in Sinator in 2018 and 2022, Mrs. Akpoti-duaghan faced Repeated harassment online And the accusation of being a prostitute. Such accusations are usually level against women in Nigerian politics.

She added, “We have made it tolerate, to see it as part of life.”

Mrs. Akpoti-duaghan said that last year, she began to avoid the Senate cafeteria and other building areas where she might collide with Mr. Akbabio, only to escape from his sexual progress.

In February, Mrs. Akpoti-duaghan said that her seat was transferred to a remote corner of the Senate without her consent, and that she was not informed of the reason. She went out with her accusations against Mr. Akabio on Nigerian television later that month.

Days after it was publicly published, the Senate Ethics Committee arrested Mrs. Akboti-Odwaghan for a period of six months, accusing her of unbridled behavior during a dispute over the new sitting arrangement. She also refused a petition for the sexual harassment she submitted against Mr. Akabio, noting a base that prevents victims from submitting their own complaints. (The petition must be presented by another person on behalf of the victim.)

Since the comment, Mrs. Akpoti-duaghan has not received any general support from her three peers. The wife of Mr. Akabio filed a defamation suit.

“Women are part of the care system itself like men in Nigerian politics,” said Ayomid Ladibo, Nigerian analyst. “Speaking against a strong man has a lot of resources and political breaks makes you risk the inclusion of the black list or the victim.”

Mr. Akpabio, 62, is a close ally of Pola Ahmed Tenobo, President of Nigeria and the leader of the judgment on all the progressive conference. Mrs. Akpoti-duaghan is a member of the Democratic Party of the opposition people.

Joy Nonier accused another public employee, Joy Nonah, Mr. Akbabo of sexual harassment in 2020. He said He had “usually to abuse women.”

Thousands of supporters gathered on Tuesday when Mrs. Acbti-Odwagan visited a impriving visit to her area in Koji Central. But even in Kogi Central, nearly half of the voters registered on a petition last week called to remove it, less than the 50 percent threshold needed to force her to go out.

No major political party nominated a woman as a presidential candidate in Nigeria. According to the legislators’ share Invictus AfricaNon -profit institution.

Other economic powers on the continent have a greater representation of women in politics. In Kenya, a quarter of legislators of women. This rate reaches 40 percent in Senegal, and about 50 percent in South Africa. Rwanda has the highest rate in the world of legislators, by 61 percent.

They all carried out the shares systems in some capabilities. Nigeria did not.

“Men make you feel that sitting in the Senate is a privilege,” said Ms. Acbti-Odwajan. “I won my seat. An anti -woman environment restores our democracy.”

Pius Adly contributed to reporting from Ect, Nigeria.