Dino Melaye, a Nigerian senator has reacted to news reports that he threatened to physically assault Remi Tinubu, a female senator in a senate executive meeting on Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Tinubu is also the wife of Bola Tinubu, a co-founder and national leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Senator Melaye, during a press briefing after the senate’s plenary session on Thursday, July 14, 2016, disclosed that Senator Tinubu called him a dog and a thug in the closed-door session in which the topic of impeaching President Muhammadu Buhari was reportedly raised.
Melaye claimed that he was only “reacting” to the unprovoked attack from Tinubu. “At the executive session, an issue generated controversy and while contributing, Senator Remi suddenly stood up and called me a dog and a thug, of course, I had to react,” he told journalists.
The senator, who was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, and a staunch supporter of Senate President Bukola Saraki also made reference to a demand for an apology from Bola Tinubu, said to have been communicated through one of his spokespersons.
Senator Melaye wondered by the former Lagos governor would be asking him to apologise on an altercation that “erupted between equals”. He said he was yet to confirm the authenticity of his party’s national leader’s demands and if it did come from Bola Tinubu, he would “react accordingly”.
The Kogi-born politician said that he was addressing the matter officially because he feared that his character would be assassinated if he keeps quiet and admitted that he has been inundated with questions as a result of the news reports on the incident.
He reminded the press that he has a track record of reacting when provoked and that he was only being true to himself.
“You can recall that I am no coward. I have always been like this and I do not speak my mind through proxies and that was the reason I took to streets whenever the need arose, particular in defense of democracy,” Melaye maintained.
Melaye added that he is not a hypocrite when it comes to pursuing issues of national interest, noting that in the past administration, he fought doggedly for democracy which Nigerians are now enjoying today.
Bola Tinubu, through a spokesperson, Sunday Dare has threatened Melaye back saying, “things will happen” if he dared touch his wife. Remi Tinubu is a woman leader in the Nigerian senate.
