The lawmakers representing Lagos tate in the Senate have strongly condemned the alleged attack on their counterpart and Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, APC – Lagos Central, by Senator Dino Melaye, APC – Kogi West, during an Executive session of the Upper Chamber on Tuesday.
While distancing themselves from the comments and behavior of Melaye at the closed-door session, they stressed that they cannot be intimidated and were prepared to testify in court on the side of the truth as part of the resolution of any conflict in the upper chamber.
The Senators, Bareehu Olugbenga Ashafa, APC- Lagos East, and Solomon Olamilekan Adeola FCA, APC- Lagos West, stated this in a statement signed by them and availed journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.
The statement reads, “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.”
