Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi of Ebonyi North stirred controversy last Thursday when he called for the relocation of old buildings and communities near the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, citing concerns over the nation's image.
In a video clip from the Senate plenary now circulating widely, Nwebonyi urged the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, to extend the ongoing infrastructural renewal in Abuja to the airport’s surrounding areas. He argued that the current state of infrastructure around the airport creates a negative impression of Nigeria for visitors descending into the capital.
“I want the FCT Minister to extend his development to the surroundings of Abuja Airport. The infrastructure in that area does not represent a good image of Nigeria,” Nwebonyi said. “Those buildings are the mirror of the country. I believe they should either be relocated or the area renewed and modernized.”
The lawmaker’s comments sparked immediate pushback, notably from Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who criticized the suggestion as elitist and insensitive.
“This community is someone’s village. The image of the country doesn't start from what you see when you descend. In my state, Akwa Ibom, all you’ll see are creeks and rivers—do we now relocate those too because they ‘spoil’ someone’s view?” Akpabio retorted.
Following Akpabio’s remarks, the proposal was put to a voice vote and was overwhelmingly rejected by the Senate.
This is not the first time Nwebonyi has made headlines for controversial statements. Recently, he clashed with former Minister of Education Obiageli Ezekwesili during a Senate hearing on a sexual misconduct allegation involving Senate President Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
During the tense exchange, Nwebonyi interrupted proceedings, prompting Ezekwesili to ask him to “shut up.” The senator responded furiously, calling her “an insult to womanhood” and saying she could “never be a senator.”
His remarks have since drawn criticism from various quarters, including women’s rights advocates, who have called them misogynistic and unbecoming of a public servant.
Despite the backlash, Nwebonyi has stood by his call for urban renewal around the airport, maintaining that it is necessary for national pride and image.
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