Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has spoken about her heated exchange with Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi during a Senate Committee hearing, saying she has no regrets about the confrontation.
The clash occurred on March 25, 2025, during a session of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
Ezekwesili, speaking on a morning television programme the following day, stated that the incident shed light on the struggles women face in society.
She attended the hearing alongside representatives of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who had filed a petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The disagreement started when the petitioner, Zubairu Yakubu from Kogi Central, urged the committee chairman, Neda Imasuen, to step aside from the case.
Yakubu alleged that some committee members were biased due to their connections with Akpabio, News About Nigeria reports.
His statement sparked reactions from lawmakers, who accused him of trying to discredit the committee.
During the session, Ezekwesili insisted on being allowed to speak, stating that she had the right to testify.
Her insistence led to a tense exchange with Nwaebonyi, causing a disruption in the hearing before order was restored.
The session, which was meant to address the petition against Akpabio, became overshadowed by the heated debate.
Despite the confrontation, Ezekwesili maintained that it brought necessary attention to issues affecting women in governance and public discourse.
“I was 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 a little about it but has not focused on it. It has now come to the top of our public agenda that we should not allow for a society that shuts down voices,” she said.
