By Benard Akoma 26/03/25
The investigation of the senate committee on Ethics over sexual harassment against Senate president Godswill Akpabio by Senator Natasha Uduaghan turned a sour scenario with the representatives of both parties throwing cautions to the wind.
Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, a former minister and Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, deputy chief whip of the senate, representing Ebonyi North senatorial zone in the national Assembly were actually on each other's throats in a display generally described as a show of shame.
While Nwebonyi appeared as a witness for the senate president, Akpabio, Ezekwesili was on the side of Natasha. Matters really got to a head when Ezekwesili and Nwebonyi were involved in a heated argument, calling themselves unprintable names. Hear Nwebonyi, “you are a disgrace to womanhood,” but Ezekwesili, replied, “you are a hooligan.”
According to Senator Nwebonyi, trouble was actually provoked by Ezekwesili when she refused to swear an oath before giving evidence in support of her subject.
Speaking on Channels television March 25, immediately after the exchange, Nwebonyi justifies his outburst against Ezekwesili, saying, “she provoked it all by first calling me names not regarding my position as a senator.”
His Words; when I said that I was ready to swear an oath to give my evidence, she interjected with a very uncomplimentary order saying, "shut up your mouth." At this point, Nwebonyi stated, I asked her, "Madam, me a senator of the federal republic of Nigeria should shut up his mouth, she said yes." At that point I had to dress her down.
But does he have any regrets doing that to a woman, a former minister, Nwebonyi retorted, "me have any regrets, I have no regrets because I gave it to her, asking, is it fair for her to dress me the way she did?"
But Ezekwesiri on Arise TV News immediately after too, admitted asking Nwebonyi to shut up his mouth but said that Nwebonyi was the one who provoked the quarrel. Ezekwesili noted that Nwebonyi was provoked by the remarks that he was the same Senator who had described Natasha before now with uncomplimentary languages.
According to her, he was already provoked when we insisted that we would not present our case until our objections raised are addressed. At that point she said, the senator thundered, “that the case is already sub judicial, citing the case in court by Akpabio wife. We then said how can you then be giving evidence on a case that is already in court.”
Meanwhile, Natasha, the lady in the eyes of the storm has apologized to Ezekwesili for the insult meted to her.
In a release on X, Natasha told Ezekwesili, “Ma’am, I apologise for the insults, know that you took them for me..for us..as a mother and as a leader. Nigerians appreciate you. I celebrate your brilliance, resilience and selfless service, you are a hero,” she stated on X.
Comments