Embattled Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has publicly apologised to former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, over an altercation with Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi during a Senate hearing.
The clash occurred on Tuesday at a Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions hearing, where Akpoti-Uduaghan had submitted a fresh petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of intimidation, defamation, and sexual harassment.
During the hearing, Ezekwesili, who attended as a witness alongside Abiola Akiode, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal counsel, was interrupted multiple times by Nwaebonyi, who was representing Akpabio. The interruptions led Ezekwesili to ask him to “compose himself and stop making noise” before saying, “please, will you shut up?”
The remark provoked a strong reaction from Nwaebonyi, who fired back, calling Ezekwesili “a fool” and an “insult to womanhood.”
Reacting to the incident in an X post on Wednesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan apologised to Ezekwesili for the insults directed at her by Nwaebonyi. She commended the former minister’s commitment to democracy, governance, and education, describing her as a “true icon of integrity, courage, and visionary leadership.”
“Ma’am, I apologise for the insults. Know you took them for me… for us … as a mother and as a leader,” she wrote.
The apology comes amid mounting political tensions in the Senate, with Akpoti-Uduaghan facing an ongoing recall petition and continued disputes with Senate leadership.
