Former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has shed light on her confrontation with Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi during a Senate committee hearing on sexual harassment allegations leveled against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Tuesday, Ezekwesili revealed that the hearing was filled with procedural delays that seemed designed to frustrate the petitioner’s efforts. She stated that while the committee insisted on strict adherence to Senate rules, making it difficult for Akpoti-Uduaghan to present her case, Nwebonyi dismissed the proceedings, claiming that the petitioner and her team were not serious about giving testimony.
Ezekwesili said she found his comments unacceptable and told the senator to “shut up.”
The confrontation between the former minister and the Ebonyi North senator escalated, with Nwebonyi allegedly telling Ezekwesili, “You are an insult to womanhood, you are a disgrace to womanhood. People like you can never be here.”
Explaining why she reacted strongly, Ezekwesili stated:
“There was a lot of rigmarole. The senators in that committee were essentially making it clear that the rules would hinder a citizen’s right to raise an objection. I am a constituent of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, and I felt deeply aggrieved by the situation.”
She continued, “While all this was happening, a senator, whose name I choose not to acknowledge, stated that if we weren’t serious about testifying, he was ready to speak on behalf of the Senate President. That was when I told him to shut up. How could he dismiss us as unserious while freely presenting his arguments?”
Ezekwesili added that her remark angered Nwebonyi, prompting his outburst.
“He was already agitated, and when I told him to hold his peace, he flared up, unleashing a torrent of insults—further exposing the lack of decorum in our public institutions,” she said.
The incident has sparked public debate, with many questioning the conduct of lawmakers in handling sensitive allegations.
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