The confrontation erupted during a Senate hearing on March 25. Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi of Ebonyi North clashed with former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili. The heated exchange occurred during the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions session. The session reviewed a fresh petition from Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Ezekwesili attended with Abiola Akiode-Afolabi, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel, and petitioner Zubairu Yakubu. Trouble started when Yakubu urged Committee Chairman Neda Imaseun to step down. He questioned Imaseun’s handling of the sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
“How can the chairman judge a case where he already took a position? Why present our case if the verdict is set?” Yakubu asked. He also accused some committee members of having ties to Akpabio, making neutrality impossible. His remarks angered some lawmakers, who saw it as an attack on the committee’s credibility.
Tensions escalated when Yakubu spoke while Chairman Imaseun addressed the session. The chairman asked him to mute his microphone, but Ezekwesili intervened. Nwaebonyi, appearing as a witness for Akpabio, interrupted her, sparking a confrontation.
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“Compose yourself and stop making noise,” Ezekwesili told the senator.
Her comment enraged Nwaebonyi. “You’re a fool. What do you mean? Why are you talking to me like that? I won’t accept this. You insult womanhood. People like you shouldn’t be here,” he fired back.
Ezekwesili called Nwaebonyi a “hooligan,” further escalating the argument. The confrontation briefly disrupted the hearing before order returned.
Afterward, Senator Patrick Ndubueze of Imo West urged calm. He addressed the committee, saying, “We should stop acting like people in a marketplace. This is the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is sad that you, the petitioner, doubt the Senate. That implies some members are not trustworthy. Yes, we are all citizens, but you must be recognized before speaking. That is the rule. We cannot just answer questions because you are a petitioner. This is a Standing Committee.”
However, Imaseun adjourned the hearing indefinitely. He cited ongoing court cases involving Akpabio’s wife and Akpoti-Uduaghan. He also noted the absence of the Kogi lawmaker defending the allegations.
Speaking to journalists, Ezekwesili condemned the Senate’s handling of the case. She called it a violation of the Nigerian Constitution and legal framework. She also criticized the committee’s insistence on prioritizing Senate rules over constitutional provisions.
“The Nigerian Senate keeps telling citizens they must follow Senate rules, even when those rules violate the Constitution. This is unacceptable in a democracy,” she said.
She also referenced Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension. According to her, the Senate ignored constitutional provisions.
“The Senate placed its own rules above the law. Now, with this petitioner, they are doing the same—using procedural loopholes to avoid key issues,” she argued.
She warned that the Senate’s actions set a dangerous precedent.
“The Senate must respect the Constitution. Otherwise, powerful individuals will manipulate processes to silence opposition and suppress justice,” she warned.
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