A session of the Senate Ethics Committee, the Code of Conduct and public requests were heated on Tuesday when Senator Onyakachi Nwebonyi and former Minister of Education Obiageli Ezekwesil exchanged insults.
The confrontation broke out during an audience about the accusation of sexual harassment of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uphuaghan against the president of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently fulfilling a six-month suspension for misconduct, was absent but represented by her lawyer, Dr. Abiola Akinyode, and the petitioner Zubairu Yakubu.
The tensions increased when Yakubu tried to speak while the president of the committee, Senator Neda Imasuen, headed to the session. Imasuen told Yakubu to move his microphone, but Ezekwesili intervened, a movement that Nwebonyi perceived as disrespectful for senators.
While Nwebonyi expressed his disgust, Ezekwesili told him that “he composed and stops making noise.” Enraged, Nwoebonyi replied: “You are a fool. What do you mean? Why are you talking to me like that? I will not take it. You are an insult to femininity. People like you can't be here.”
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In response, Ezekwesili called the senator a “hooligan”, and his heated exchange almost derail the session.
The hearing did little progress before the committee finished abruptly, citing the fact that the request of Akpoti-Uduaghan was already facing a court of justice.
During the session, Akinyode demanded that Imasuue be retired from presiding, arguing that he had previously dismissed the petition as “dead upon arrival.” Imasuen clarified that he was referring to the first request of Akpoti-Uduaghan, which did not comply with the rules of the Senate.
Then he invoked Senate 47 to suspend the audience on the second petition, since the matter was already in court.
The session concluded with the committee closing the case.