By Nuel Suji – Two Senators representing Lagos State in the Senate, Wednesday, rose in stout defence of their colleague, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, who was attacked by Sen. Dino Melaye at the yesterday closed-door session of the Red Chamber, warning that they would not be intimidated from testifying “on the side of truth.”
The senators who stated that they cannot be intimidated or deterred from their primary assignment of representing the people of Lagos State as well as carrying out their national duties of law making, vowed to testify in court on the side of the truth as part of the resolution of any conflict in the upper chamber.
Mr. Melaye representing Kogi west and strong supporter of embattled President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki at the closed-door session was said to have jumped up from his seat and charged towards Mrs. Tinubu, saying, “Look this is not Bourdillon (referring to the famous Lagos residence of Mrs Tinubu’s politician husband). I will beat you up, ….. impregnate you and nothing will happen.”
He had called for sanction against Senators that may want to testify against Mr. Saraki in the case of alleged forgery at a federal high court, Abuja.
When given the chance to speak at the executive session, Mrs. Tinubu had responded saying, “I’m just wondering why whenever Senator Dino speaks in this chamber, he is always threatening people and behaving childishly and at times like a thug.“I think he needs to know that every senator here represents their constituencies. And that there is no need to threaten anyone. “We are seeking and working towards reconciliation, yet you are busy issuing threats.”
But in a statement signed by Senator Olugbenga Ashafa and Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola and made available to newsmen in Abuja, the Senators condemned “the use of abusive, uncouth, vulgal and unparliamentary language” on Sen. Oluremi Tinubu by Mr. Melaye.
“We the two Senators representing Lagos East and Lagos West having reviewed the recent happenings in the hallowed Chamber of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly at the executive session of 12th July, 2016 which dwelt on the running of the Senate and now in the public domain without any denial from the affected parties, feel compelled to state as follows: ” We deplore in very strong terms the use of abusive, threatening, uncouth, vulgar and un-parliamentary language by ANY senator against any other senator, particularly our female colleagues.
“As distinguished members of the Red Chamber, we are strongly in favour of resolving ANY conflict that has arisen in course of our representation and national duty through dialogue and due process and we will not be part of any solution obtained through any form of coercion, threat, intimidation and ungentlemanly conduct of the distinguished office of a senator.
“We dissociate ourselves from the comments and behavior of Senator Dino Melaye (APC – Kogi West) at the Executive Session of 12th July 2016 as we represent people known for finer character and noble culture of social interaction.
“We equally state that we will be part of efforts to instill and enshrine decorum and gentlemanly conduct associated with the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“While condemning the use of any vulgar and un-senatorial language in all ramifications, we particularly take offense to the use of such abusive and denigrating words against the person of Distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC- Lagos Central). As such words greatly demeaned the female gender and the hallowed chamber of the Senate.
“Finally, pursuant to the threat of physical abuse against Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC- Lagos Central) by Senator Dino Melaye (APC- Kogi West), we state that we are not lily-livered and cannot be intimidated or deterred from our primary assignment of representing the good people of Lagos State and carrying out our national duties of law making, even if it entails testifying in court on the side of the truth as part of the resolution of any conflict in the upper chamber.”
