Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi has vowed to report Oby Ezekwesili to Igbo traditional leaders after she publicly asked him to "shut up" during a Senate hearing. The dispute, which stemmed from a heated exchange over a sexual harassment case, has fueled controversy and divided public opinion.
Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi has vowed to escalate his dispute with former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, to Igbo traditional leaders after she publicly asked him to "shut up" during a Senate ethics hearing. The confrontation occurred as the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions deliberated on sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Nwaebonyi, appearing as a witness for Akpabio, repeatedly interrupted Ezekwesili, who was at the hearing in support of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Frustrated, Ezekwesili asked him to "compose himself" before sternly telling him to "shut up," a remark that instantly provoked an angry reaction from the senator.
Expressing his displeasure, Nwaebonyi insisted that he had never spoken to women in such a manner and viewed Ezekwesili’s words as a public humiliation. He emphasized his record of advocating for women’s rights, particularly through legal battles securing inheritance rights for women in Ebonyi State.
As a red cap chief in Igboland, Nwaebonyi said he would not let the insult go unanswered. He argued that Ezekwesili, who has never held an elected position, had no right to belittle him publicly.
The incident has sparked debate, with supporters on both sides weighing in on the heated exchange. Nwaebonyi's decision to involve Igbo traditional leaders suggests that the controversy is far from over.
