Natasha apologises to Ezekwesili over clash with Nwaebonyi

• Verbal exchange with senator gladdens me, ex-minister replies
• INEC notifies Natasha of recall petition

Embattled Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has apologised to a former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, over her clash with Sen Onyekachi Nwaebonyi (Ebonyi North) on Tuesday.

“It is a historic function. And so, that attitude pervades the way our lawmakers are behaving. I was actually 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 little about it, but has not focused on it,” she said.
 
Tuesday’s confrontation occurred at the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions hearing in Abuja, where Akpoti-Uduaghan was represented by her counsel, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, and Ezekwesili.
 
At the session, a heated exchange erupted between Ezekwesili and Nwebonyi, resulting in a shouting match filled with name-calling and gender-based insults.
Ezekwesili also accused the committee chairman, Sen Nedamwem Imasuen, of bias and argued that he should recuse himself to ensure fairness. She also accused the Senate of sidestepping the sexual harassment allegations, insisting that Akpoti-Uduaghan must get justice.
 
The former Vice President of the World Bank maintained that she was demanding public accountability and that society must resist any attempt to silence those who speak out. She asserted: “The society should not allow any person or group, no matter how powerful they are, to shut the voices of accountability.”

INEC, in a statement by the Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, yesterday, noted that the petitioners had provided their contact details, including a mailing address, phone numbers, and email, in compliance with the commission’s guidelines.
 
This was after the commission, on Tuesday, said the petitioners seeking the senator’s recall had not yet met the necessary submission requirements. The commission raised concerns that the representatives of the petitioners did not provide their contact address, telephone number(s) and e-mail address(es) in the covering letter forwarding the petition through which they could be contacted as provided in Clause 1(f) of its Regulations and Guidelines
 
But in a statement, yesterday, Olumekun said the contact address of representatives of the petitioners, their telephone numbers and e-mail addresses had been provided in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, dated March, 26, 2025.
 
“As provided in Clause 2(a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, a letter has been written to notify the senator sought to be recalled about the receipt of the petition and delivered to her official address. The same letter has been copied to the presiding officer of the Senate and published on the Commission’s website,” the commission said.