Kogi West
Senator Dino Melaye came under attack yesterday for charging at Senator
Oluremi Tinubu during the executive session of the Senate on Tuesday.
Senators were meeting over the forgery
case filed against Senate President Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate
President Ike Ekweremadu when Melaye seized the floor and poured
invectives on his colleagues and the Executive for their perceived role
in the matter.
Sources at the meeting said Senator
Tinubu (Lagos Central), who was speaking, continued with her speech
against indecorous acts by senators. Melaye was angry, it was learnt. He
reportedly used unprintable words to describe her. He was said to have
attempted to physically attack.
The other Lagos State Senators – Bareehu
Olugbenga Ashafa (Lagos East) and Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Lagos
West)- yesterday condemned Melaye’s unwarranted outburst against Senator
Tinubu.
The lawmakers dissociated themselves from Melaye’s comments and behaviour.
Ashafa and Adeola, in a joint statement,
said: “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 behaviour 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
offence 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.
Senator Ajayi Boroffice (Ondo North) also condemned the attack on Senator Tinubu:
He said last night: “In actual sense,
the unsenatorial utterances of Senator Melaye constitute threat to the
life of a fellow senator. It is not only condemnable, it is also
criminal.
“At a time when Nigeria is faced with
rising cases of violence against women, it is utterly unfortunate that a
senator threatened to beat up a fellow senator. To say the least, that
nature of threat should not be associated with the Nigerian Senate. “
He however added that “it is comforting that Senator Tinubu has forgiven Senator Melaye and has decided to move on.”
Former Deputy Senate Minority Leader Olorunnimbe Mamora also condemned Melaye’s unruly behaviour.
Senator Mamora said for Melaye “to have
threatened to beat up Senator Oluremi Tinubu, a fellow senator for
that matter, he has gone too far”. “There is minimum standard of
modicum expected of a senator; Melaye fell short of that modicum.”
“I had expected the Senate President
Bukola Saraki to caution him but there was no report that he did. Melaye
should apologise in his own interest; whatever respect people have for
him must have dropped; he should apologise and redeem his image.”
Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA),
Ikeja Branch, Chairman Monday Ubani condemned the un-parliamentary
behaviour and language used by Melaye in addressing his colleagues.
“I have said it many times that this
eighth National Assembly may be the worst in the history of this
country’s democracy. The leadership of the Senate has lost respect of
the people; they think of themselves and not the people that they are
representing. It i s unfortunate we have found ourselves in this mess,”
he said.
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