Remi Tinubu Denies Calling Arinola Oloko ‘A Thug’ During Constitution Hearing Review

The Senator representing Lagos Central, Remi Tinubu has denied calling an educationist, Arinola Oloko, a thug during the South-West zonal public hearing of the constitution review.

KanyiDaily had published a video where Tinubu was heard referring Oloko as a thug during a shouting match with some Nigerians who attended the constitution review hearing at the Marriot Hotel in Lagos.

However, while speaking on a programme on TVC on Friday, Tinubu, who is leading the Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution in the South-West, shared her own side of the story.

“It was the noise I heard and as somebody concerned, I went there, that they will be a bit respectful when they see that they put my name as chair and I came out to see them,” Tinubu said.

“At least, we will be able to talk and dialogue. I didn’t know that it will turn into a noisy field and people will start screaming.

“I looked at them and I saw a woman. I will tell you, most of the works I’ve done have been supported by women. I understand women more than men despite the men I work with and even the men I work with, I respect them when I have to respect them but in this particular incident, I looked at the man, he was angry, possibly he could have waited for a long time. I didn’t know who registered, I wasn’t on the registration desk but I looked at the woman screaming and I said I can talk to a woman.

“I said, let me talk to you outside where everybody is, I’ve had COVID and I don’t think I want to be in a cramped place to want to be speaking. And I said, let’s go outside so that I can hear you and hear your complaint.”

“Then, she kept screaming and I said what is going on, are you a thug? I am not going to take that. Are you a thug? Am I talking to a thug? Then her eyes were popping and popping. She is younger than I am, why would I call her a thug outrightly?” the senator asked.

This comes just a few weeks after Senator Remi Tinubu attacked her colleague from Kogi West, Smart Adeyemi, for complaining about the security challenges in the country.