Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi has threatened to drag a former minister of education, Obiageli Ezekwesili before Igbo traditional leaders for sanctioning.
A lawmaker representing Ebonyi North’s Senatorial District, Nwaebonyi’s decision follows an altercation between him and the former minister at a panel on a sexual harassment petition against the Senate President.
Speaking during an interview with the African Independent Television (AIT), Nwaebonyi said he is a red-cap chief and cannot be insulted by a woman.
“But for a woman to get up in public and tell me to shut up my mouth and call me a hooligan; a red-cap chief in Igbo land that have made my made his mark, that have made my contribution,” Nwaebonyi said.
Further citing some of his achievements, the lawmaker said Ezekwesiki who has never won an election had no right to speak to him condescendingly.
“I stood for election and I have the votes of over 500 people to be in the senate and somebody who has never won a ward councillor will come to my office and tell me to shut up my mouth and call me a hooligan.
“This is unacceptable and I am going to take up within the Igbo traditional leadership because this never happens,” he said.
Further addressing insinuations that he lacked respect for women, Nwaebonyi said he never talks down on anyone.
He stated that he has much respect for women irrespective of who they are.
According to the lawmaker, his respect for women can be seen in his committment to empowering and supporting them in every way he can.
“As a person, I can’t talk to my wife like that in public. , I can’t talk to my driver like that in public. I can’t talk to any woman that way in my life, I have never done it in my life, I respect women.
“I am one of the people who have been championing the rights and privileges of women. As a legal practitioner, I have won so many cases in favour of women who were denied their rights of inheriting their father’s property because their father had no male child,” the lawmaker added.
He also said that in his career as a legal practitioner, he has won cases on behalf of women, especially in issues of land disputes and inheritance.
“I’ve won so many cases pro Bono, the facts are there, if you go to Ebonyi State, you’ll see them. I am one of the leaders from the Southeast who have a programme for building houses for women, and sponsoring their children in school – I have over 300 of them.
“All these are to show the respect, the regard and love I have for women,” he said.
Red cap chief with 100% insanity