Gbenga Ashafa, representative of Lagos east senatorial district, and Solomon Adeola, his Lagos west counterpart, have condemned the action of Dino Melaye, their Kogi west counterpart, at the senate’s executive session of Tuesday.
Melaye had threatened to assault Oluremi Tinubu, senator representing Lagos central, for daring to challenge him.
He reportedly used unprintable words on her.
Melaye’s action had generated criticisms, but in a statement issued on Wednesday, Ashafa and Adeola, accused the Kogi lawmaker of bringing disrepute to the “hallowed chamber”.
They vowed to resist intimidation, and said they were prepared to testify in court “on the side of the truth as part of the resolution of any conflict in the upper chamber”.
“We deplore in very strong terms the use of abusive, threatening, uncouth, vulgar and un-parliamentary language by ANY senator against any other senator, particularly our female colleagues,” the statement read.
“As distinguished members of the red chamber, we are strongly in favour of resolving ANY conflict that has arisen in course of our representation and national duty through dialogue and due process and we will not be part of any solution obtained through any form of coercion, threat, intimidation and ungentlemanly conduct of the distinguished office of a senator.
“We dissociate ourselves from the comments and behavior of Senator Dino Melaye (APC – Kogi West) at the executive session of 12th July 2016 as we represent people known for finer character and noble culture of social interaction.
“We equally state that we will be part of efforts to instill and enshrine decorum and gentlemanly conduct associated with the upper chamber of the national assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“While condemning the use of any vulgar and un-senatorial language in all ramifications, we particularly take offense to the use of such abusive and denigrating words against the person of Distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC- Lagos Central).
“As such words greatly demeaned the female gender and the hallowed chamber of the Senate.
“Finally, pursuant to the threat of physical abuse against Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC- Lagos Central) by Senator Dino Melaye (APC- Kogi West), we state that we are not lily-livered and cannot be intimidated or deterred from our primary assignment of representing the good people of Lagos state and carrying out our national duties of law making, even if it entails testifying in court on the side of the truth as part of the resolution of any conflict in the upper chamber.”
Source: THE CABLE