Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi of Ebonyi North has defended his clash with former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, during a Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions hearing on Tuesday.

The confrontation occurred amid a petition filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Ezekwesili attended the hearing alongside legal counsel Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi and chief petitioner Zubairu Yakubu.

Tensions escalated when the petitioner questioned the neutrality of committee members, alleging ties to Akpabio. This angered some lawmakers, who viewed the remarks as an attempt to undermine the committee’s credibility. Ezekwesili also drew criticism for what some perceived as forcefully inserting herself into the proceedings.

she requested to be placed under oath, stating, “I am a citizen of Nigeria.” This led to a heated argument with Nwaebonyi, who lashed out, 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 responded by calling him a “hooligan,” escalating the exchange before order was restored.

In an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday evening, Nwaebonyi claimed Ezekwesili instigated the confrontation by calling him a hooligan and telling him to “shut up.” He maintained that his response was justified, stating, “For a mother like you, a grandmother of your age, a former minister of the Federal Republic to tell a sitting senator to shut up and call him a hooligan, that’s unacceptable.”

When asked if he regretted the incident, he remained firm: “How can I regret the scenario? I gave it to her. Is it fair for her to address me that way? As a former minister and a grandmother, ask her first.”