A Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions hearing descended into chaos on Tuesday when Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi of Ebonyi North and former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, engaged in a fiery verbal altercation. The confrontation occurred during deliberations on a petition filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, alleging sexual harassment.
Tensions escalated when the petitioner questioned the committee’s impartiality, suggesting potential biases due to members’ affiliations with Akpabio. This insinuation sparked outrage among the senators, who perceived it as an affront to their integrity. Dr. Ezekwesili, present to support the petitioner, requested to be placed under oath, asserting, “I am a citizen of Nigeria.”
The situation deteriorated rapidly as Senator Nwaebonyi confronted Ezekwesili, exclaiming, “You’re a fool. What do you mean? Why are you talking to me like that? I will not take it. You’re an insult to womanhood. People like you cannot be here.” In response, Ezekwesili retorted by calling him a “hooligan,” further intensifying the exchange before order was eventually restored.
In a subsequent interview with Channels Television, Senator Nwaebonyi defended his outburst, alleging that Ezekwesili had provoked him by telling him to “shut up” and labeling him a “hooligan.” He stated, “For a mother like you, a grandmother of your age, a former minister of the Federal Republic to tell a sitting senator to shut up and call him a hooligan, that’s unacceptable.”
The hearing was convened to address serious allegations brought forth by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment. These claims have ignited significant controversy within the political sphere, leading to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension from the Senate for alleged misconduct.
The tumultuous events underscore the deepening divisions and heightened tensions within the Senate, raising concerns about the institution’s ability to address internal disputes with decorum and impartiality.
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