By Abimbola Ologun
Former Education Minister Oby Ezekwesili has described her confrontation with Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi during a Senate Committee panel as a reflection of the challenges women face in a male-dominated society.
She expressed satisfaction with the encounter, stating that it brought public attention to the issue.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, Ezekwesili recounted her experience as a witness at the Senate Committee hearing on the sexual harassment allegations involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
“In this society, there is a historic attitude to voice; not just the voice of women but those who say that they do not agree with a situation or who, like me, are persistent in demanding public accountability from those that lead an institution that belongs to the society,” Ezekwesili said.
She continued, “It is a historic, more or less, function. And so, that attitude pervades the way our lawmakers are behaving. I was actually very pleased with what happened yesterday because now it is in the public domain what women endure in many instances, and the rest of society may know little about it but has not focused on it.”
During Tuesday’s Senate Committee hearing in Abuja, tensions flared when Ezekwesili and Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal representative, appeared before the panel. A heated verbal exchange erupted between Senator Nwebonyi of Ebonyi North Senatorial District and Ezekwesili, leading to unprintable name-calling and gender-shaming.
Ezekwesili criticized the proceedings, alleging that despite being present as a witness, the committee did not allow her to testify. She accused the committee chairman, Senator Nedamwem Imasuen, of bias and called for his recusal to ensure justice and fairness.
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Ethics informed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal representative that since the matter was already before the court, the committee would no longer intervene.
“In any case, for the position that I can see you are taking, it means the whole Senate is biased. Because the whole Senate witnessed what happened. So, I don’t know what ad-hoc committee you are going to constitute that is not aware of what has been going on,” the committee stated.
Quoting the Senate rule book, the committee further declared, “Learned respondent (Akpabio’s counsel) has just told us that this matter is before the law court, and I will address that by our rule book. Order 40 (7) says, ‘Senate should not receive or deliberate on any matter to which actions are pending in any court of law.’ This is our rule book.”
The committee then ruled, “Therefore, this matter is closed here at the Senate, and it is adjourned sine die.”
