The political environment is often difficult, if not toxic for women to play in. Often, those courageous women who succeed in fighting their way through by breaking the glass ceiling do not enjoy the freedom to operate like their male counterparts. An alarming noticeable in several parts of the world shows that female parliamentarians face harassment and intimidation. This challenge is often shrouded in silence or taken as part of cultural norms. Rather than abate, this ugly trend is rearing its ugly head more aggressively.

Despite the progress made in the campaigns for gender equality, the political landscape remains fraught with challenges for women, undermining the democratic principles of fair representation and participation. There are different episodes to buttress discrimination against women in the polity. In October 2004, Senator Isah Mohammed Bagudu (Niger South Senatorial district) made the headlines when he slapped fellow senator Mrs. Iyabo Anisulowo, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Affairs, outside the lobby of the National Assembly. The Senate responded responsibly by suspending him for two weeks but many Nigerians felt the punishment was inadequate.

Twelve years after, sometime in July 2016, at a closed-door meeting of senators at the peak of the cold relationship between the executive arm of government and the legislative arm, an altercation ensued between Senators Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi) and Remi Tinubu (APC-Lagos) which saw both lawmakers calling each other names and charging aggressively at each other. Trouble started when Senator Melaye urged the Senate to descend heavily on members who had offered to serve as prosecution witnesses in the then-forgery case against Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

After the altercation, when Senator Tinubu was recognised to speak, she rose and said: “I’m wondering why whenever Senator Dino speaks in this chamber, he is always threatening people and behaving childishly and at times like a thug. I think he needs to know that every senator here represents their constituencies. And that there is no need to threaten anyone. We are seeking and working towards reconciliation, yet you are busy issuing threats.”

Indeed, every parliamentarian, male or female represents a constituency. But while the males are more tolerant of fellow males’ comments, some men have a short fuse for comments from women challenging their stands on issues. Harassment and intimidation of female parliamentarians manifest in various forms; from verbal abuse and social media threats to physical violence and professional sabotage. The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) conducted a study in 2016 revealing that over 80 percent of surveyed female parliamentarians had experienced psychological violence. This includes threats of death, rape, and beatings, primarily through social media channels. More disturbingly, 20 percent of reported cases resulted in physical violence, and 25 percent experienced sexual violence.

Senate President Akpabio Versus Female Senators
Rather than stem the ugly trend, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President in the 10th National Assembly had in the last six months appears to have deepened gender bias and has developed a political culture that could be resistant to change. He has demonstrated this in a few instances. To frustrate the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senatorial district, Senator Ireti Kingibe, a Labour Party (LP) member, the Senate President exercised his power and refused to appoint her as the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on FCT, despite being the highest political office holder from the FCT. Rather than demonstrate esprit de corp, he has been in cahoots, and in words and action shown that he is on the same page with the Minister of the FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike who has vowed publicly that the Senator would not return to the Senate in 2027.

The Senate President also came under fire for rebuking Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan – a female lawmaker representing Kogi Central on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party– and telling her that the Senate chamber was not a nightclub, despite rebuking her for speaking without being recognised. The Senate President did not need to add “This is not a nightclub” after his rebuke. Doing so implied that the female Senator was only fit for a nightclub. Ironically, a nightclub is not a place for debate or secondment of motions., she must be recognised before speaking during plenary. Nigerians are still awaiting his public apology for those derogatory and disrespectful comments.

It is disheartening that out of four women elected as Senators, Senate President Godswill Akbaio has given two or fifty percent of the female Senators serving with him a raw deal. FLEADERS Nigeria, a female leadership project of Emerge Women Development Initiative, has demanded an unreserved apology from Senator Akpabio, over what it called his sexist comments towards the lawmaker representing Kogi Central in the Senate, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The group described the remark as not only condescending and disrespectful but also perpetuating harmful gender stereotypes.

The organisation lamented that the female legislator was subjected to unjustified bullying and total disregard, stressing that this ‘affects all Nigerian women’. In a statement issued by the Chairperson, of FLEADERS Nigeria, Bridget Obi, and Executive Director, Nana Kazaure, they demanded an unreserved apology from the Senate President, describing the remark as reckless, derogatory, and unacceptable.

“As a leader, Akpabio’s words profoundly impact Nigerian women and girls. FLEADERS will not tolerate attempts to silence or diminish women’s voices in leadership and governance. We demand an immediate and unreserved apology from the Senate President, not only to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan but also to the women and girls of Nigeria whom he has offended.

The psychological toll of such harassment is profound. Some female parliamentarians report feeling constant fear and anxiety, which can detract from their ability to perform their duties effectively. The relentless pressure can lead to burnout, mental health issues, and in some cases, premature departure from political careers. This attrition not only deprives societies of valuable leadership but also perpetuates the gender gap in political representation.

Worldwide Advocacy Against Discrimination
Despite the grim picture, there are ongoing efforts to address this issue. International organizations, such as the IPU and UN Women, advocate for stronger protections for female parliamentarians. These include comprehensive policies against harassment, better reporting mechanisms, and support systems for victims.

National governments are also beginning to take action. For instance, the UK Parliament has introduced the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) to address bullying and harassment in Westminster. Similarly, Sweden and Canada have implemented measures to ensure safer working environments for their female politicians.

The harassment and intimidation of female parliamentarians are severe threats to gender equality and democratic integrity. Political institutions, civil society, and the international community must work together to create a safer and more inclusive environment for women in politics. Only through such collective action can dismantle the barriers that prevent women from fully participating in and contributing to the political sphere.