The people of Ebonyi North Senatorial District of Ebonyi State have condemned the verbal assault by the former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, against the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Peter Nwebonyi.
At a press conference on Friday in Abakaliki, Coordinator of the Ohamadike Progressive Movement, a grassroots political movement of Sen. Nwebonyi in Izzi Local Government Area of the state,
Dr. Friday Nkwede, expressed displeasure over Ezekwesili’s utterances and behaviour.
Nkwede, described Ezekwesili’s utterances as a public assault, meant to damage the image of Sen. Nwebonyi and the National Assembly as an institution.
He demanded the ex-minister to tender an unreserved public apology to Nigerians, particularly the Senate deputy chief whip and the Ebonyi people.
“My position is that: it is not expected that such a highly placed woman who has served the country would make such utterances, comments, and insults to a sitting senator publicly.
“It’s image harassment to the senator, to the National Assembly and to the whole nation that such a comment was coming from a woman who was supposed to be an epitome of respect, and humility to men and her fellow women.
“Again, it should be noted that the woman didn’t only insult Senator Nwebonyi publicly, but she also went on giving him a name; calling him a hooligan. Such a word is supposed not to come from a respected woman against a respected sitting senator of that calibre.
“A hooligan means drunkenness, a violent type, and somebody who doesn’t have respect for the elders, and Sen. Nwebonyi doesn’t represent that.
“Rather, it’s an insult to the constituents of Sen. Nwebonyi because he is wearing the crown of Ebonyi North Senatorial District.
“He has been performing his duty very creditably well. All the functions, roles, and actions Sen. Nwebonyi has been taking are in line with his office as the deputy chief whip of the Senate; he does those things to instructions of the Senate president, who also sends him to go and do the work.
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“He also does all those for the chief whip of the Senate, who is duty-bound and also sends him as a vibrant senator to go and represent him as the Senate deputy chief whip, and then discuss the matter, handle the issue and report back.
“Sen. Nwebonyi does that diligently and effectively, with all sense of responsibility and reports back to the Senate. He has been doing these with all his powers effectively because he is a man full of wisdom and energy, and a man who has a large heart.
“He can work day and night, as a young and vibrant senator; where you think he can’t work, he does the work perfectly. He can do that because he is a very hardworking person. All these he does as a sitting senator, due to a responsibility assigned to his office
“I want to tell you categorically that the entire Ebonyi North Senatorial constituents whom Sen. Nwebonyi represents are demanding a public apology from Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili for insulting a man who is wearing our crown.
“In fact, for insulting the entire Ebonyi State because Sen. Nwebonyi is from Ebonyi State, and Ebonyi citizens respect him for that matter because he is giving the state what they want, and his constituents what they want,” Nkwede said.
