I Didn’t Sponsor Women Group, Dino Melaye Made Me Shed Tears But I’ve Forgiven Him – Remi Tinubu

While speaking on Wednesday when a delegation of the Lagos State House of Assembly members and APC caucus in the Senate and some party leaders paid her a solidarity visit at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has said as a Christian, she has forgiven her Kogi-West counterpart, Senator Dino Melaye.

According to Punch Newspaper, the Lagos-Central caucus was led by Senator Muniru Muse, while the National Assembly caucus was led by Senator Gbenga Ashafa.

Recall that senator from Lagos-Central, Tinubu had accused her colleague, Melaye of assaulting her verbally during an executive session of the Senate last week Tuesday, and Melaye on his part denied the allegation as well as counter-claims that the female lawmaker also assaulted him verbally.

The wife of APC National leader, Tinubu said when she started to think about all that transpired in the Senate for some days on Wednesday, she shed tears for the first time on her encounter with Melaye, adding that she would not be intimidated by anybody.

She said,

“When the Senate President invited me yesterday (Tuesday) and I gave my word. You can see the channel I have taken in the aftermath of the event. I reported to the IGP; I wrote to him also, after I waited for one week. When it happened, it was him I went to. I waited for one week and nothing was done. I also wrote to the party (the APC) chairman.

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“I met with the Senate leadership yesterday (Tuesday) after one week; I met with him (Senate President Bukola Saraki) yesterday. And as a Christian, I said I had already forgiven him (Melaye) for the way I was treated. But the point is that what people don’t realise is that I am a very reserved person.

“After I gave my word to him (Saraki) yesterday, I told myself that at 55 I am not a wimp of anybody.

“I witnessed the Sani Abacha regime and I know what I saw and why I am committed to this cause. But now, my hands are tied to say I forgive people. I am a Christian; when I give my word, I must abide by it. But I am not scared to follow this through.

“I am not championing a cause for women. I am only standing in my space and if my space is encroached upon, I have to fight back. Rosa Parks wasn’t an activist; she just decided to sit in her space and not give up her space to anybody in a bus. And that sent a message.

“I want to use this opportunity to thank all Nigerian women who rose up; the women rights groups who are calling, conducting press conferences and doing a lot of things.”

The senator also denied sponsoring women groups to protest on her behalf against Melaye. She stated that she had given her best to her constituency in the past five years and that inspired the protests that had trailed the verbal assault on her.

“I didn’t give anybody anything; I don’t even have N80m in my personal salary account in the Senate. And I don’t think if I have any other savings I want to use it to mobilise women to protest. What about the investments we have put into politics? How much has that done for this country?” Tinubu said.