A FEMALE SNP candidate who topped the party's list at the election has spoken out about it's failure to deal with abuse from a fellow SNP member.

Fatima Joji, who unsuccessfully stood for election in the North East regional list, claims she tried to address the issue within the party but feels she now has to speak out after being 'harassed for months'.

The Nigerian-Scot from west Aberdeenshire shared a series of tweets which she said showed a fellow SNP member repeatedly attacking her online.

She explained: "I hate that I didn’t go public earlier (tried to sort it out internally).

"I justified not doing so because I didn’t want to put women of colour off politics. We talk about abuse, but in my case, I thought it was smart to hide what I receive. I binned anonymous emails from folk during the election process and kept quite.

"But my silence leads to scenarios such as someone who I thought would go for council elections saying no because of him still being a member of our party."

The former candiate shared screen shots of tweets and social media messages by someone she says is an SNP member, accusing her of being an "incredible gaslighter", a "fraud", an "artificial winner" of the candidate list spot, someone who believes in "woo woo messages" and described the SNP branch where she is based is "infected". 

Ms Joji also claims the man published her location online, and said he has been harassing her "for months".

She wrote: "I am here watching many women in politics being harassed and I am not accepting it anymore" adding "Leave me alone. For whatever reason you are a 54-year-old man living in the same area as me who is obsessed with me, claims that I ignore members (I am branch, I can’t). It stops!". 

Ms Joji is the branch secretary for an Aberdeenshire SNP branch. 

Speaking to The Herald she said the party had to do more to investigate claims of harassment against BAME members.

She said: "The party’s disciplinary and complaints system is almost non-existent.

"They absolutely need to take this more seriously.

"I am not the only one who has raised concerns about the party’s lack of action on the individual. There have been many emails about this person. I first flagged him in Nov with his targeted harassment and evidence. I continued contacting them when it got worse.

"Some other members intervened when they saw how bad it got including the Bame Network Convener Farah Farzana, and Graham Campbell who is the national convener that sits on the NEC.

"The party needs to do better and investigate." 

The Herald contacted the individual accused of harassing Ms Joji, who confirmed they were a member of her branch but denied that their social media activity was intended to harass. They said they had never been contacted by Ms Joji. 

The SNP has also been contacted for a response.