Untold Story Of The Senators Dino Melaye–remi
Tinubu Closed-door Clash
PREMIUM TIMES has obtained further details of the
altercation between Senators Dino Melaye (APC-
Kogi) and Remi Tinubu (APC-Lagos) which saw
both lawmakers calling each other names and
charging at each other.
Those who witnessed the incident, which occurred
during a closed-door meeting held by senators on
Tuesday, said trouble started when Mr. Melaye
urged the Senate to descend heavily on members
who had offered to serve as prosecution witnesses
in the ongoing forgery case against Senate
President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike
Ekweremadu.
The Kogi senator is said to have accused the
senators of being used by the presidency to
destabilise the Senate and warned them to be ready
to face the consequences of their action.
“You should go and tell those who sent you that
nobody, I said nobody, no matter who he is, can
ever control this Senate, ” Mr. Melaye was quoted
as saying as he pointed at the affected senators,
his face contorted in rage.
Our sources said when Mrs. Tinubu was recognised
to speak, she rose, and said, “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.”
One of our sources said at this point, Mr. Melaye
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.”
Witnesses said as Mr. Melaye charged towards the
Lagos senator, other senators, especially those from
the South-West geopolitical zone, waded in and
shielded Mrs. Tinubu from attack, and then calmed
her down.
A few other senators also prevailed on Mr. Melaye
to take it easy and let peace reign, sources said.
“We had to move in to save the situation because
he had already overwhelmed her with his voice,”
one of the senators, who calmed Mrs. Tinubu down,
said.
“Many dirty thing do happen during closed-door
sessions, but people don’t get to hear about it,”
another senator said. “But now that the senate is
divided, proceedings at executive sessions are
being leaked to the press.
“Yesterday was one of such dirty sessions, there
was ramblings, uproar and profanities. It was so
sad.”
Also during the meeting, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe
(PDP-Abia) called on the Senate to go for President
Muhammadu Buhari’s “jugular”.
When colleagues asked him what he meant, the
senator said it had become clear that Mr. Buhari
had no respect for the Senate and that the time had
come for him to be impeached.
Mr. Abaribe said the president was encouraging his
subordinates to disrespect the upper chamber and
that only two options were now open to the senate
– go for the president’s jugular (impeachment) or
continue to seek reconciliation that might not work.
Mr. Melaye on Wednesday morning said reports
that he was planning to initiate impeachment
proceeding against President Buhari were untrue.
But he was silent on reports that he threatened
Senator Tinubu or used the “F” word on her.
The Kogi senator could not be reached to comment
for this story. Calls to his known telephone number
failed to connect.
Mrs. Tinubu too did not answer or return multiple
calls made to her by PREMIUM TIMES on
Wednesday morning.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/
headlines/206833-untold-story-senators-dino-
melaye-remi-tinubu-closed-door-clash.html
