Former Minister of Works and Housing, Adeseye Ogunlewe, has offered his perspective on the ongoing controversy surrounding Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, Ogunlewe suggested that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s beauty might be a contributing factor to her challenges in the Senate.
“Her beauty is a problem, there is no doubt about that. A woman should be skillful to get her way through. She is an endangered species, and I know some of them who will find their way through no matter what happens,” Ogunlewe remarked.
Reflecting on his experience in Nigerian politics, Ogunlewe noted that past female senators never viewed themselves as inferior to their male counterparts. He highlighted the example of Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, asserting that “if you even mention that Ita-Giwa is a woman, the response you are going to get will make you ashamed of yourself, because they will stand up to you.”
In addressing allegations of harassment in the Senate, Ogunlewe dismissed concerns of misconduct within the chambers, stating, “No, it is a natural thing for a man to look at beautiful women. How can he be a man, and a beautiful woman is passing, and you close your eyes?”
Ogunlewe clarified that the alleged incident involving Akpoti-Uduaghan did not occur within the Senate but at the residence of the Senate President. He emphasized, “So, don’t let us relate that one to what is happening in the chambers. There is no harassment at all in the chamber.”
The former minister also referenced comments made by Akpabio, in which the Senate President stated that he is often surrounded by beautiful women but has never acted inappropriately. “Beauty is not a problem for him,” Ogunlewe added, reiterating Akpabio’s position.
On the broader issue of sexual harassment in Nigeria, Ogunlewe argued, “When you toast, the woman will refuse. No, that’s not sexual harassment. That’s a different thing.”
To resolve the ongoing controversy, Ogunlewe advised that former Senate Presidents and senior lawmakers should engage Akpabio directly rather than airing grievances publicly. “They should not sit down and criticize on the pages of newspapers. They can form their own committee and meet Akpabio, who probably is their junior. They should not put the Senate in this level of disrepute,” he urged.