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By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Northern Nigerian women group under the aegis of “Interfaith Women Alliance for Justice”, alongside concerned Nigerians and civil society organizations, have declared support for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and given the Senate a strict 14-day ultimatum to reinstate Natasha and restore all her rights and privileges.
They also threatened to take further actions, including reaching out to the leaders of the two major religious bodies in Nigeria, and other religious bodies, if their demands are ignored to ensure that injustice against Senator Natasha does not stand.
Making the declaration, in bricks and stone mood, Sunday at a press conference in kaduna, the interfaith Women Alliance’s Spokesperson, Comrade Saratu Shekari said their ultimatum is not a request but demand”, calling for an end to what they termed the systematic persecution of women in Nigerian politics.
They also demanded that Senate should ensure that all senator, both male or female, are held to the same standard of accountability, urging the to “End the systematic persecution of women in Nigerian politics.
“This is not a request, it is a demand. If these demands are ignored, we will reach out to the Sultan of Sokoto, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and other religious bodies to ensure that this injustice does not stand.
Saratu further stated that “If we allow this to happen, we are telling every Nigerian woman that her voice does not matter, her rights do not matter, and her dignity can be taken away at any moment”.
“But we refuse to accept that. We will not be silent. We will not stand aside while injustice becomes the law of the land”, the stated, adding
“When Injustice Becomes Law, Resistance Becomes a Duty”.
Earlier, Mrs. Saratu noted that “The Nigerian Senate was created to defend justice, uphold democracy, and ensure that every citizen, regardless of gender or status, is treated fairly under the law. It was meant to be the voice of the people, a sanctuary where truth prevails over power, and the rights of the weak are protected against the strong”,
According to them, the Senate has today become a place where power is used to silence, ‘where injustice is disguised as law, and where those who dare to speak are punished without mercy”.
They lamented that “The unjust suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is not just a political decision, but a cruel reminder of how easily women, justice, and truth can be erased in this country”, describing it as
“A woman punished for courage, while others walked free’
According to them “She was not accused of stealing, corruption, or treason. Her only crime was refusing to submit to intimidation, refusing to accept injustice, and demanding fairness in a system designed to silence her’.
“Yet, for this, she was suspended for six months, stripped of her position, denied her security, erased from legislative duties, and left vulnerable to threats.l’, she said.
“Meanwhile, history tells a different story for others: A senator once led thugs into the Senate chamber to steal the mace, the very symbol of legislative authority. No six-month suspension followed.
“Another senator publicly defied the Senate President and disrupted plenary multiple times. His name was never erased from the records’, also recalling that “A current leader within the Senate has been involved in multiple legislative infractions but has never faced this level of punishment”.
“The message is clear: when men break the rules, they are excused. When a woman stands her ground, she is crushed.
Aggressively they asked prudent question as to “How Did We Get Here. How did we become a country where a woman can be erased simply for speaking the truth?
“How did we get to a point where justice depends on gender, and power is used to silence those who refuse to bow. What does this tell the young girls who dream of leadership? That no matter how hard they fight, the system will always find a way to break them?
“What does this tell Nigerians about democracy? That it is a privilege for the powerful, not a right for all. If an elected senator can be treated this way, what chance do ordinary Nigerians have?, she asked.
