Nigeria: Oby Ezekwesili and Senator Nwebonyi Clash During Senate Hearing

There was serious drama at the Nigerian Senate during a hearing that involved Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi and former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili.

The two exchanged strong words during a meeting held by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions. The case was about a fresh petition from Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.

According to nigeria newspapers, the situation got tense when Zubairu Yakubu, who represented Akpoti-Uduaghan, told the committee that its chairman, Senator Neda Imasuen, should step down.

Yakubu said the chairman had already shown bias and could not handle the case fairly. He also claimed some members of the committee had personal connections to Akpabio.

This angered some senators, and the atmosphere became tense. Ezekwesili, who was at the hearing as a supporter and possible witness, tried to speak.

She asked to be sworn in under oath. But things turned ugly when Senator Nwebonyi interrupted her and told her she was a “fool” and “an insult to womanhood.” Ezekwesili responded by calling him a “hooligan.” Their shouting match temporarily stopped the hearing.

Later on, during a TV interview, Senator Nwebonyi explained his side of the story. He said Ezekwesili disrespected him by telling him to "shut up" and calling him a hooligan first.

He admitted he insulted her back but said he had no regrets. He also questioned how someone like Ezekwesili a former minister and grandmother could talk to a sitting senator that way.

Ezekwesili, speaking to reporters after the session, criticized the way the Senate handled the matter.

She said the lawmakers were more focused on protecting their own rules instead of following the Nigerian Constitution. She also said it was wrong for the Senate to silence people or ignore petitions that challenge powerful politicians.

The hearing was later postponed indefinitely after it was confirmed that the matter was already in court. Some senators, like Patrick Ndubueze, urged everyone to stay calm and respect Senate rules. But Ezekwesili insisted that citizens also have rights and should not be silenced by Senate procedures that go against the law.

The entire event has caused major reactions across social media and has been widely covered by many nigeria newspapers. People are now questioning how the Senate handles sensitive issues like harassment claims, especially when top officials are involved.

In the end, the big takeaway is that both sides felt disrespected, and the real issue and sexual harassment accusations and was not fully discussed because of the chaos.

Nigerians are now waiting to see how the court will handle the matter and whether the Senate will make any changes to how it manages serious complaints from the public.