According to the report from the Sun, a senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi State, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan discussed ongoing discussions concerning the gender bill and expressed her hope for widespread support, specifically from male colleagues and the President, to ensure its approval.
She highlighted the need for better representation, pointing out that having only four women representatives for over 100 million people is insufficient.
She emphasized the importance of women raising their voices and asserting themselves in male-dominated spaces, quoting Senate President Akpabio's advice for her to speak confidently and assertively.
She acknowledged the challenges women face in these environments and stressed the need for determination and perseverance to succeed, emphasizing that they must be prepared to overcome obstacles alongside their male counterparts.
She said, "I’ve had quite a number of meetings with international organisations and embassies of certain countries that are really concerned and are willing to offer support, especially when we present the gender bill which I’m working closely with the distinguished Senator Kingibe and the two female senators.
There are certain conversations going on around that and we hope that by the time we present it will have a greater support, especially from our male folk and the president himself will assent to that. So we can have greater representation because four as a number of representatives for over 100 million people, I think that’s quite poor. And we learnt to raise our voices up whenever we’re not heard and the Senate president (Akpabio) would always say, Senator Natasha, we’re all men here, so speak like a man. We’re not softening the ground for you, you decided to be here, so you have to forge ahead with us."