By Jane Okafor, Abuja
ABUJA: Hearing of the petition on suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual advances allegation against President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, at Senate on Tuesday inexorably morphed into a heated war of insults between Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, senator representing Ebonyi North, and former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili.
The hot exchange occurred at the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions hearing on a fresh petition submitted by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Ezekwesili, former ‘Bring back our girls’ campaigner, was present at the hearing alongside Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, counsel to Akpoti-Uduaghan, and the chief petitioner from Kogi Central, Zubairu Yakubu when Trouble erupted as the petitioner urged the Chairman of the Committee, Neda Imasuen, to step down in the case following alleged bias.
Yakubu claimed the ‘controversial’ manner Imasuen had so far handled the alleged sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio, hasn’t given any room for faith in the committee, having declared the initial petition as “dead on arrival.”
“How can the chairman serve as a judge in a case where he has already publicly taken a position? What is the need for us to present our case when a verdict has already been given before hearing us?” Yakubu questioned.
He further alleged that some committee members had pre-existing ties to Akpabio, which he said compromised their ability to be neutral.
According to PUNCH, his remarks angered some lawmakers, who accused him of attempting to undermine the committee’s credibility.
Ezekwesili also came under fire for what they saw as her insistence on forcing herself into the proceedings.
However, Ezekwesili insisted on being heard out.
She said, “I asked to be put on oath as a witness. I am a citizen of Nigeria.”
This led to a heated argument with Nwaebonyi, who lashed out at her, saying, “You’re a fool. What do you mean? Why are you talking to me like that? I will not take it. You’re an insult to womanhood. People like you cannot be here.”
Ezekwesili called him a “hooligan,” further escalating the altercation.
The verbal battle momentarily disrupted the hearing before order was restored.
When relative calm returned, the legislator representing Imo West, Senator Patrick Ndubueze appealed for further decorum before addressing the committee.
“We should stop behaving like people in the marketplace. This is the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is sad to hear you (petitioner) say you don’t have confidence in the Senate. What it means is that not everybody here is trustworthy.
“Yes, we are all citizens of this country. But here, you must be recognised before you speak. That is the rule. We cannot just jump to answer questions because you are a petitioner. This is a Standing Committee,” he said
However, Imasuen declared hearing of the petition “closed” and adjourned the matter sine die – indefinitely, following observations that both Akpabio’s wife and Akpoti-Uduaghan have a case in court and the absence of the Kogi lawmaker to defend her allegation.
Imaseun said, “Let me tell you, the first petition that came before us was signed by Distinguished Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Contrary to our rules, you cannot sign your own petition. The petition that came before us did not even have an address. Contrary to our rules, that petition shouldn’t have been entertained.
“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.
“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. I will address that by our rule book, order 40 (7), which 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.
“Therefore, the petitioner said he would not speak to his petition because the committee is biased, the respondent has just told us that this case is before a competent court of law, therefore, this committee will allow the court of law, that will not be biased, to handle this matter.
“Therefore, this matter is closed here at the senate and it is adjourned sine die.”
Addressing journalists after the hearing, Ezekwesili described the Senate’s approach as a gross violation of the Nigerian Constitution and legal framework.
She criticised the committee’s insistence on prioritising Senate rules over constitutional provisions, particularly in cases involving disciplinary actions and petitions.
“The Nigerian Senate keeps telling citizens they are subject to Senate rules, even when those rules violate the Constitution. This is unacceptable in a democracy,” Ezekwesili stated.
She also referenced the suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, arguing that it was carried out without due regard for constitutional provisions.
“The Senate placed its own rules above the laws of the land. Now, with this petitioner, they have done the same thing—using procedural loopholes to avoid addressing critical issues,” she said.
She added, “If a petitioner says they do not believe the Senate committee will give them a fair hearing due to clear bias, it is only just that an independent body reviews the matter.”
She also warned that the Senate’s actions could set a dangerous precedent where internal rules override the Constitution.
“The Senate must respect the Constitution. Otherwise, we risk turning our democracy into a system where powerful individuals manipulate processes to silence opposition and suppress justice,” she said.
Also, the legal counsel to the petitioner, Dr. Abiola Akinyode also faulted alleged inconsistencies in the Senate’s handling of petitions.
“There is nothing in Yakubu’s petition that was not in Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s original petition. If the Senate dismissed her petition as ‘dead on arrival,’ then logically, Yakubu’s should also be dismissed.
“The Senate seems to be operating under its own rules, separate from the Constitution. That is why they can suspend a senator for six months without following due process,” Akinyode said.
She also faulted the defense by the Committee that it couldn’t hear a petition on a subsisting case before a court of competent jurisdiction.
“If they knew the case was in court, they should have simply written to the petitioner stating they could not entertain it. Instead, they invited him, only to dismiss the petition on the basis that it was already in court.”
•Additional reports: Punch.
