SENATOR Oluremi Tinubu, on Monday, requested for police protection alleging that Senator Dino Melaye is threatening her life.
Mrs Tinubu, representing Lagos Central Senatorial District in the Senate, had altercation with Senator Melaye, representing Kogi West Senatorial zone, last Tuesday, during Senate’s closed-door session, a development that had generated reactions from different quarters since then.
Tinubu, who is the wife of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, in a letter to the acting Inspector-General of Police, entitled: “Request for police protection” said, “in view of Senator Melaye’s antecedent, particularly in the House of Representatives, where a brawl led to the death of a member.”
She added that “I have decided not to ignore his threat to my life” insisting that “therefore, I am compelled to urge you to use your good office to provide me with adequate security.”
The legislator narrated that “during the proceedings of the Senate on Tuesday, July 14, I had cause to contribute to a mater of national importance. Apparently dissatisfied with my contributions, Senator Melaye threw caution to the winds, resorting to vulgar abuse on my person and intention to assault.
“It was the timely intervention of a number of colleagues which prevented Senator Melaye from unleashing physical attack on me. However, as the leadership of the Senate did not call him to order in the circumstance, he proceeded to threaten my life without any provocation whatsoever.”
Meanwhile a civil rights movement, Committee for the Defence of Women’s Rights (CDWR) has alleged that Senator Tinubu, had concluded plans to sponsor protest against Senator Melaye.
The organisation, in a statement in Abuja, through its National President, Professor Taibat Majekodunmi, alleged that already “the protesters have booked for 300 rooms in some hotels in Abuja. Why did she not organise a protest against the hardship of Nigerian women and widows?
“Mrs Tinubu has not protested against the skyrocketed price of tomatoes in the market. In the same vein, kerosene is now over N200 per litre and she did not organise any protest to that effect.
“Mrs Tinubu should emulate the likes of Margaret Thatcher, Indira Ghandhi, Benazir Bhutto and our own dear Dora Akunyili.”
Meanwhile, the Legislative Advocacy Coalition on Violence Against Women (LACVAW) and other key women groups and coalitions in the country have given an indication to hold a rally on Wednesday, on threats of physical assault and use of sexually-demeaning language by Senator Melaye against Senator Tinubu at the recent closed-door session of the Senate.
Nigerian Tribune exclusively gathered from the group that the rally was necessitated to prevent the legitimisation of impunity on gender-based violence, particularly given the fact that up till now, there has been no official statement from the leadership of the Senate or its Ethics Committee.
It was gathered that the rally would be championed by LACVAW and is expected to be led by Hajia Saldatu Mahgi and Dr Abiola Akiode.
According to the information gathered, the protest would kick off at the Fountain Square and proceed to the National Assembly.
At the National Assembly, the groups which are more than 10 in number, are to make strong statement against what they perceived as negative actions against women, particularly by the Senate.
They would express dissatisfaction against the recent defeat of a bill which targeted to raise the equality stake of women in the society.
The groups, it was gathered, would submit a petition to the leadership of the National Assembly and would demand for an action against Senator Melaye.
The rally, which would be used to show solidarity for Senator Tinubu in particular and womenfolk in general, is coming barely 48 hours after similar protest held in Lagos.