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In a unified and resolute response, a coalition of over 350 women groups has called for public apologies from Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi and members of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, following what they describe as a “disgraceful conduct” exhibited by Senator Nwebonyi during a hearing on March 25, 2025.

The coalition, represented by its Media/Communications Officer Caroline Osang, has condemned the senator’s use of “highly insulting and vulgar language” against Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education and Chairperson of Women Political Leaders (WPL).

“This hearing, which was meant to deliberate on critical issues related to justice and governance, descended into a spectacle of disrespect and arrogance,” the coalition declared in their press statement. “Instead of maintaining the dignity and seriousness that the Senate hearing demanded, Senator Nwebonyi opted to derail the proceedings, mocking the petitioners and disregarding the importance of the matters at hand.”

According to the coalition, Senator Nwebonyi dismissed their efforts as “unserious” and a “waste of time” and shockingly declared that he was “ready to be a witness for the Senate President since we were not serious.”

The coalition emphasized that such rhetoric represents “an open attempt to silence the voices of women advocating for justice.”

“This conduct is wholly unbecoming of a public official,” the statement continued. “Senator Nwebonyi’s actions were not simply a difference of opinion; they were an intentional and calculated attempt to undermine the credibility of women speaking out in pursuit of justice.”

The coalition also directed criticism toward the Senate Committee members who failed to intervene during Senator Nwebonyi’s tirade. “The failure of the committee to call him to order not only condoned this egregious behavior but also perpetuated a culture of disregard for women’s voices in the political space. This cannot and will not be tolerated,” they asserted.

Dr. Ezekwesili, who has long been a staunch advocate for women’s rights and a symbol of national pride, was described in the statement as “a respected leader and an invaluable asset to this nation.” The coalition framed Senator Nwebonyi’s actions as an affront not just to Dr. Ezekwesili but to “every in fairness, equality, and justice.”

The coalition’s press release did not mince words in calling out the broader implications of the senator’s behavior. “This is an example of the abuse of power, rooted in gender-based violence, that seeks to intimidate and silence women who dare to challenge the status quo. It is a stark reminder of how women continue to be marginalized in political and public discourse.”

Reaffirming their commitment to justice, the coalition declared, “We will not allow this assault on our dignity to stand. Let it be clear that we, the women of this nation, will not allow any further disrespect to go unchecked. We will continue to demand justice, equality, and accountability in every forum.”

The coalition also highlighted Dr. Ezekwesili’s prominent role as a defender of women’s rights in political spaces, adding, “Oby Ezekwesili is the Former Minister of Education and currently the Chairperson of Women Political Leaders (WPL), who always stood firm in defending the right of women to be heard and respected in all spaces, particularly in politics.”

The demands of the coalition are unambiguous: an “immediate and unequivocal apology” from Senator Nwebonyi, accountability from the Senate Committee members, and concrete measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. As they stated emphatically, “This injustice shall not be sustained—NEVER.”

Concluding their statement, the coalition reinforced their resolve to continue the fight against marginalization and disrespect toward women in political spaces. “This fight is far from over, and we stand united in our pursuit of justice for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and for all women who have been silenced, marginalized, and disrespected in political spaces.”

Many of the groups are:

Enough is Enough
She Forum Africa,
Alliances for Africa (AFA).
9jafeminista
Above Whispers Foundation Action Aid Nigeria
ACTS Generation GBV
Ade Grange Child Foundation
ADEM Community Human Development Foundation

Adinya Arise Foundation (AAF)
Advocate for Health and Development Initiative African Women’s Initiative (AWI)
Ajegunle Community Project Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation Alliances for Afriica (AfA) Amazing Grace Inspirations
Aminchi Women Cooperative Society

Amnesty International Nigeria
ARDA Development Communication Inc. Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation.
ASWHAN
ATATA Development and Empowerment Foundation (ADEF) Affirmative Action Initiative for Women (NCAA)
Association of Nigeria Women’s Business Network (ANWBN) Association of Women in Trade and Agriculture (AWITA) Association Against Women Exploitation and Degradation (AAWED) Amaclare Connect and Development Initiative
AWEP ANWIB

AWFAN FEBWE FEDAN
BLECCA Foundation Bring Back Our Girls
Briskila Emefesi Women Foundation (BEWOF) Baobab for Women’s Human Rights
Cece Yara Foundation Cedar Seed Foundation CEE-HOPE Nigeria
Center for Economic Empowerment and Gender Activities (CEEGA)

Centre for Alternative Development and Self-Enhancement (CEADESE NG) Centre for Health and Development in Africa (CHEDA)
Centre for Nonviolence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria (CENGAIN) Centre for Peace Education and Community Development
Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN) Change Managers International Network
Center for Women’s Health and Information

Centre for Media and Development Communications
Civil Resource Development and Documentation Center (CIRDDOC) Citizenship and Human Development Initiative
Charity Women Spring of Salvation Chedal Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society

Child Care and Adult Protection Initiative (CCAPI) Choung-Dung Women Association.
Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS) Christian Women in Nigerian Politics
Citizens Center for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR) Community and Youth Development

Community Education Advancement of Peace and Development Initiative (CEAPDI) Community Initiative for Healthy and Peaceful Society
Community Life Project (CLP) Community Rescue Initiative (CRI) Community Women Initiatives (CWI) Country Associates Network (CAN)

Courageous People Health and Development Initiative (CPHDL) Crestville Development Foundation (CDF)
CWEMA
Daria Media Foundation (DMF)

Development in Practice Gender and Entrepreneurial Initiative (DIPGEI) Diaspora Womanifesto2019
Dinidari Foundation (DF)
Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF)

Dream Alive Women and Orphans Support Foundation (DAWOS Foundation)
Echoes of Women in Africa Initiatives Edo Women’s Development Initiative Education As A Vaccine (EVA)
EiE Nigeria

Emerge Women (EW)
Empowerment and Action Research Centre (EARC) Equality Through Education Foundation (ETEF) Equity Advocates/ The Woman Today Newspaper FACICP Disability Plus
FAME Foundation
Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON)
Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN) Federation of Paralegal Network (FEDPAN)

Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Fembridge Development Initiative (FEDI) FIDA Nigeria
First Future Leadership FOMWAN
Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FACE-PAM) FRED
FEDAN
Gender Action Awareness Trust
Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN)

Gender and Development Action (GADA)
Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative (GERI) Gender Awareness Trust (GAT)
Gender Development Initiative Gender Equality Center
Gender Equality, Peace and Development Centre Gender Technical Unit (GTU)
Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI) Girl Child Advocacy and Education Initiatives
Girl Child Africa

Girl Child Education, Care & Rehabilitation Girl Education Rehabilitation and Care (GERAC) Girls Power Initiative (GPI)
Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation (GLOHWOC) Green Spring Development Initiative
Gender Awareness Trust (GAT)
Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN)

Habiba Dangana (Hadis) Foundation
Heal Disability Initiative
Health Education and Human Rights Advocacy Initiative Health Reform Foundation Of Nigeria (HERFON)

HEIR Women Development (HWD)
Help Initiative for Social Justice & Humanitarian Development Hope for New Life (HNL)
International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)Nigeria
Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD) Inter Africa Committee (IAC)
Inter Gender Peace Foundation (IGPF)

International Action Network on Small Arms Women Network (IANSA) International Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida Nigeria)
International Hairstylists, Barber and Body Therapists (IHSTOBAN) International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH) International Women Communication Centre (IRIAD)

Iyaniwura Children Care Foundation (ICCF) Jamatul Nasir Islam, Women Wing
Jana Health Foundation (JHF) Julie Oyegun
Foundation for Justice Development and Peace (FJDP) Justice Development and Peace Mission (JDPM)

KMashi Gamji Women
Kebetkache Women Development And Resources Centre Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND)
Kungiyar Tallafin Mata Development Initiative (KTMDI) League of Queens International Empowerment (LQIE) League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV)
LEDAP
Lift Initiative
League of Queens International Empowerment
Legislative Advocacy Coalition on Violence Against Women Initiative (LACVAW)

MBULA Women Association Media &Teens Network
Media Concern Initiative for Women and Children
Media Concern Initiative (MediaCon) for Women and Children MODAC
Mothers United and Mobilised (MUMs) More Women in Politics
My Voice My Future NGO
Nasrul – Lahi-L- Faith Society (NASFAT) NAWE
NNEW NAWORG

Nigerian Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ) National Centre for Women Development
National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women Neighbourhood Care-Well Foundation

Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN Next Initiative for Gender Actions (NIGA)
NEWA
NGAS Women Farmers’ Cooperative Society Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ) Nigeria For Women Project

Nigeria Labour Congress, Women Committee Nigerian Express
Nigerian Women Politics Forum Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NTWF)
Ogayem Merciful Care and Support Initiatives (OMCSI) Ogun Women Alive

Okwuzi Women Forum
Olive Community Development Initiatives Onomese Foundation
Open Arms Initiative for Sustainable Development (OPAISD) Osi Joe Touching Lives Initiative
Ovie Brume Foundation Partners West Africa Peasant Dragnet
Princess Olufemi-Kayode Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI)

Project Alert on Violence Against Women Ray of Hope Community Foundation Relief Development Initiative Kaduna

Responsible Citizenship and Human Development Initiative Sesor Empowerment Foundation
She Forum Africa Safe Space Initiative
Save a Child Lend a Hand Foundation Sheforshe Africa Initiative
She Mentors Initiative Shout Global Health

Small-scale Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SWOFON) South- South Professional Women Association.
Stand to End Rape (STER)
Stephanie Peace Building Development Foundation
Support For Needy Children and Women Initiative (SUNCHI) TechHerNG

THR Media
The Inclusion Project (TIP)
The Priceless Jewels Foundation
THR Media – HERFESSIONS INITIATIVE
Tonia Bruised but Not Broken Foundation Transformation and Development Center (TDC) Transition Monitoring Group
Tunde & Friends Foundation (TAFF) UC Women Commission
UTO Foundation

Vision Spring Initiatives (VSI) Voice of Ogun Women (VOW) West African Network for Peace WEWENETWORK AFRIQUE WEPDN
Widows Development Organization (WIDO) Woman-Being Concern Nigeria (WBC) Women’s Leadership Group (WLG)

Women &Youth Awareness Empowerment Network (WOYAEN) Women Advocacy, HIV Prevention and Other Diseases (WAHPOD) Women AT Risk International Foundation(WARIF)

Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC) Women Aid Collective (WACOL)
Women in Mining

Women and Youth Empowerment for Advancement and Health Initiative Women Youth and Children Upliftment Foundation (WYCUT)
Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON)
Women education advocacy and development Initiatives (WEADI) Women Empowerment and Initiative Development

Women Empowerment and Reproductive Health Centre (WERHC) Women Empowerment Education and Peace Building Initiative (WEPBI) Women Environmental Programme (WEP)
Women Farmers Alliance (WFA)
Women for Peace and Gender Equality Initiative (WOPEGEE) Women for Women International (W4WI)
Women Foundation Initiative (WFI) Women Foundation of Nigeria (WFN)

Women in Action for Positive Development and Gender Enhancement Center (WAPGADEC) Former Women Action Organization (WAO)
Women in Africa Initiative (WIAI) Women in Agriculture (WIA) Women in Mining (WIM)
Women in Politics Forum (WiPF) Women Information Network (WINET)
Women Initiative for Democracy and Empowerment (WIDE) Women Law and Development Initiative (WOLDI)

Women Law Development Center of Nigeria (WLDCN) Women Lead Agric (WLA)
Women League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Women of Vision Development Initiative Women Protection Organization (WOPO)
Women Wing of The Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN) Women, Infants and Children Care Initiative (WICCI)
Women, Youths and Children Advancement Program Women Optimum Development Foundation-WODEF Women Right to Education Programme (WREP) Women’s Crisis Centre Owerri
Women’s Rights and Health Project
Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP) Working Moms Africa (WMA)

Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) Women Initiative on Climate change
Women in Politics Forum (WIPF)
Women in Management Buisness and Public Service (WIMBIZ)

WISCAR
Women Democracy Network Africa – Nigeria WomenPreneurs (AWEBO)
Yiaga Africa
Youth Future Savers Initiative (YFSI) Zonta International Club of Lagos 1 50MAWSP
100 Women Lobby Group (100WLG)

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