*Ask ex-minister to tender unreserved public apology to Senate, Nigerians.
*Says she ought to be role model of respect, humility to men, fellow women
*Says Senator Nwebonyi has been effective in delivering National Assembly assignments as lawmaker
By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki
Ebonyi North Senatorial constituents have condemned in the strongest term the verbal attack by the former Minister of Education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, against their lawmaker and Deputy Chief Whip in the Senate, Senator Barrister Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi, recently in a public gathering.
In a press conference during the weekend at Abakaliki, Dr Friday Nkwede, who is the Pioneer Senior Legislative Aide to Senator Nwebonyi, expressed displeasure over Mrs Ezekwesili's utterances against his principal; saying it was never expected from a person of her kind in the country.
The University Don, who is also the Coordinator of Ohamadike Progressive Movement (OPM - a grassroots political movement of Senator Nwebonyi cum Support Group), in Izzi LGA of Ebonyi State, further described Mrs Ezekwesili's utterances as a public assault, meant to cause image harassment to Senator Nwebonyi, the National Assembly and the whole nation; and demanded the ex-minister to tender unreserved public apology to Nigerians, particularly his principal and Ebonyi people.
"Thank you for your question, my position is as follows: 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 is also observed that the woman didn't only insult Senator Nwebonyi publicly but she also went on giving him a name calling such as 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 Nwebonyi doesn't represent that; rather it's an insult to the constituents of Senator 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 Senator 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. 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.
"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 Senator 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 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.
"As the Coordinator of the Ohamadike Progressive Movement, a political movement that has grassroots mobilization initiative; to Nwebonyi, I'm stating categorically on behalf of the constituents, particularly in Izzi local government area and on behalf of the Ohamadike Progressive Movement which is the brainchild of Senator Nwebonyi that this woman should tender an unreserved public apology and retract all her insulting statements against our Senator, who is a principal member in the 10th National Assembly today," Dr Nkwede said.
Corroborating, Hon Joseph Onwe, the OPM Coordinator in Ohaukwu LGA and a Legislative Aide to Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Dennis Orogbo (Nwoke Sanya) - the OPM Coordinator in Abakaliki LGA and Senior Legislative Aide to Deputy President of Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin also called on Mrs Ezekwesili to tender unreserved apology to the Senator Nwebonyi, while wondering what led her to make such unguided comments against an innocent personality in a public gathering.
They expressed their unwavering support to the leadership of Ebonyi State and Nigeria, noting that Senator Nwebonyi has performed creditably well in less than two years in office and deserves applause and not attack.
Other Coordinators and executives of the Ohamadike Progressive movement in Ebonyi LGA and diaspora also added their voices, demanding an unreserved apology from Mrs Ezekwesili.
