Attack on Ezekwesili highlights troubling pattern in Nigerian Senate – Tietie

As the heated verbal exchange between Sen. Onyekachi Nwaebonyi and former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili continues to generate reactions, a socio-political critic and lawyer, Mr. Frank Tietie has weighed in, saying the attack on Ezekwesili exposes a disturbing trend in the Nigerian Senate.

Tietie expressed concerns that the Senate, and Nigeria at large, is becoming a hostile environment for women, where they face intimidation, bullying, and marginalization in public affairs.

Persecondnews had reported that a Senate hearing on a fresh petition submitted by Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against the Senate President Godswill Akpabio ended abruptly on Tuesday when a heated exchange erupted between Nwaebonyi and Ezekwesili.

The tense confrontation unfolded as Ezekwesili defended Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was recently suspended for six months on the recommendation of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions.

Ezekwesili attended the hearing alongside Mr. Abiola Akiode, counsel to Akpoti-Uduaghan, and Zubairu Yakubu, the petitioner.

Chaos ensued when Yakubu tried to interject, leading Senator Nwaebonyi to cut off Senator Ezekwesili as she attempted to step in and mediate the situation.

Ezekwesili shot back at the senator, telling him to “compose himself and stop making noise,” which ignited a fiery outburst.

Nwaebonyi launched a scathing retort at Ezekwesili: “You’re a fool. What do you mean? Why are you talking to me like that? I will not take it. You are an insult to womanhood. People like you cannot be here.”

Expectedly, Ezekwesili fired back, labeling Nwaebonyi a “hooligan,” which further intensified the heated exchange between them.

The hearing was briefly disrupted but order was restored, and Senate Committee Chairman Neda Imaseun subsequently adjourned the session, citing the matter’s ongoing judicial review.

Reacting through a statement sent to Persecondnews on Wednesday, Mr. Tietie emphasized the urgent need to prioritize the protection and well-being of women, stressing that men at all levels must learn effective anger management skills to curb the alarming rise in violence against women in both private and public spheres.

The Executive Director of Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER) condemned Nwaebonyi’s behavior, saying that although Ezekwesili was not physically harmed, the Senator’s angry outburst constituted emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse.

He said that such behaviour is punishable under Section 14 of the Violence Against Persons Act of 2015, which carries a maximum penalty of one year’s imprisonment, a fine of up to N2 million, or both.

The Abuja-based lawyer emphasized that Ezekwesili’s substantial contributions to Nigeria’s national development far surpass those of Nwaebonyi, whose behaviour has been a subject of concern.

The statement reads: “It begs the question: how did a senator lose all sense of decorum and stoop to publicly insulting such a highly esteemed Nigerian woman, especially one who shares his ethnic background?.

“Is it not a grave indictment of a nation and a curse when a man, representing his constituents in the esteemed chambers of Nigeria’s National Assembly, resorts to verbally tearing down a respected female figure that he was supposed to represent and protect?.

“The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice should prioritize this matter over political correctness and charge the Senator with an offence of violence.

“Such action would help President Tinubu’s government save face and mitigate the international embarrassment the Nigerian Senate is causing.

“Nigerians must make a conscious effort to turn the tide of anomie that is taking hold of country’s political landscape. These are danger signs.

“It is not a time of complacency and silence but a time to be positive in pursuit of better standards and to condemn negative behaviours. It might become too late to save.”

However, in an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday evening, monitored by Persecondnews, Nwaebonyi claimed that Ezekwesili had instigated the confrontation by calling him a hooligan, after he took offence to her telling him to “shut up” and stop making noise’ despite his position as a senator.

He said: “It started when she was asked to take an oath because she said she was a witness. She refused, saying she could not be placed under oath. As I was addressing the presiding officer, she turned to me and said, ‘Will you shut up your mouth? You are a hooligan.”

Sen. Nwaebonyi said that he stood by his actions, maintaining that his response was warranted and expressing no remorse over the altercation.

He said: “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.”

When questioned whether he regretted the altercation, Nwaebonyi remained firm, saying: “How can I regret the scenario? I gave it to her. Is it fair for her to address me that way? As a former minister and a grandmother, ask her first.”

Also, in an interview with Arise Television on Tuesday evening, monitored by Persecondnews, Ezekwesili said that Nwaebonyi was already provoked because he felt they were not being serious.

She said: “He was already provoked before I told him to please shut up. He was already provoked by the fact he felt we were not serious.

“What flared him up was the petitioner saying that he is the Senator that made a lot of statements about Sen. Akpoti-uduaghan in words that were not complementary.

“This is what women go through largely when cameras are not rolling in some of our public places.

“The culture of silencing women who speak out about their experiences is not only improper but also perpetuates a pattern of behaviour. This pattern played out during the hearing, with the only difference being that cameras captured it.”