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, revealed how it all happened.
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.
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.
Credit: PremiumTimes
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