BIG STORY
‘Dino Melaye Needs Mental Check-Up’ — Lagos APC, Senators Blast Melaye For Attacking Remi Tinubu
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has berated the lawmaker representing Kogi-West senatorial district, Senator Dino Melaye, for allegedly threatening to attack Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of the National Leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu.
Also, two senators from Lagos State, Olugbenga Ashafa and Solomon Adeola on Wednesday, condemned the alleged verbal assault on their colleague, Oluremi Tinubu, by Melaye, during an executive session within the Senate chamber on Tuesday.
Melaye was said to have annoyed the senator by allegedly using unparliamentary languages on her during a heated debate at the closed session. Melaye, who denied the allegations, was said to have threatened to beat up his Lagos counterpart during a closed session at the Senate on Tuesday.
However, the APC said in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, that if it was true that Melaye issued the threat, then he needed mental check-up.
The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to a reckless and unguided statement credited to one Senator Dino Melaye from Kogi State who said he would beat up our own distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu, representing Lagos Central and that nothing will happen.
“We take it that this is a slip of tongue but if it is indeed true that this statement came from the heart of Dino Melaye, we need a psychiatric doctor to examine the state of his mind.
“Senator Dino Melaye has been in the news in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the wrong reasons. His actions and deeds in recent times have contributed in no uncertain terms to various setbacks we have witnessed in the 8th Senate since its inception on June 9 2015.”
The party said Melaye was a disgrace to the Senate as his utterances had often taken the shine off the hallowed chambers.
The Lagos APC warned the Kogi senator to immediately issue a public apology to Tinubu’s wife.
The statement added, “The hallowed chamber of the Senate of the federal republic of Nigeria is a prestigious place for the serious-minded, cerebral men and women, men and women of honour and integrity, those who can hold their heads when others are losing theirs, experienced but humble men and women. It is not for lunatics, rascals, street urchins, ethically challenged bigots or integrity challenged charlatans.
“It seems to us in the Lagos APC that Senator Dino Melaye has reached a point of diminishing returns. The funny man from Kogi State has reached a point where there is no other place to go but to go down irretrievably. He can only go down with his likes and not with our own Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the highly revered, honoured and distinguished wife of our National leader, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Lagos APC wants Dino Melaye to move quickly to apologise to Senator Oluremi Tinubu and her beloved husband Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and have the statement credited to him withdrawn without any further delay.”
Also, Ashafa and Adeola in a statement jointly signed by them in Abuja condemned the alleged “use of any vulgar and un-senatorial language” on their female colleagues.
The statement partly read, “We the two senators representing Lagos East and Lagos West having reviewed the recent happenings in the hallowed Chamber of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly at the executive session of 12th July, 2016.
“The session dwelt on the running of the Senate and now in the public domain without any denial from the affected parties, we feel compelled to state as follows:
“That 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.
“As distinguished members of the Red Chamber, we are strongly in favour of resolving any conflict that has arisen in the course of our representation and national duty through dialogue and due process.
“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 behaviour of Senator Dino Melaye (APC – Kogi West) at the Executive Session of 12th July, 2016 as we represent our 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 offence 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.”
Thousands of excited Nigerians attended the opening day of the much-anticipated maiden edition of the Lagos Shopping Festival (LSF) on Monday, December 23 and were served up an electrifying feast of events, activities and promotions across the the main venue of the festival, the iconic Mobolaji Johnson Arena, (formerly Onikan Stadium).
As advertised, first day of the festival lived up to its billing with a colourful blend of commerce, music, innovation and creativity following its flag off by the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
The Lagos Shopping Festival, powered by the Lagos State Government in collaboration with Chain Reactions Africa, a frontline PR firm, and supported by leading brands, including Zenith Bank, Tolaram Group, First Bank Plc, and Guinness, will see millions of people hit the main venue and select Lagos malls to bag the latest bargains, and bring together the best of city’s retail offering, showcasing local and top global brands and shopping experiences, including in-mall promotions.
Speaking at the event, Governor Sanwo-Olu described the LSF as a history-making festival of back-to-back shopping, fun, and entertainment, reaffirming the Lagos state’s commitment to grow small businesses as well as the entertainment industry.
“This is the first of its kind and this event is made to bring shoppers with MSMEs, with innovators, with entertainers, with the creative industry, with the food industry and everybody,” said Sanwo-Olu.
“For the next three days, we are meant to all come together, enjoy good food, good music, sales at discounted market price, shopping at the highest level and just general entertainment with the creativity of Lagos,” the Governor added.
He called on all Lagosians and Nigerian to join the fun, shopping and entertainment.
“Call everybody from Iyana-Ipaja to Alimosho, call people from Agege, call them from Ebute-Meta to Shomolu, call them from Bariga, from Badagry to Ikorodu, from Epe to Ibeju-Lekki, call everyone to come to the arena here at the Mobolaji Johson Center in Onikan where we’ll be doing shopping, we’ll be doing music, we’ll be doing entertainment for the next two days. This is the first of its kind”, Sanwo-Olu added.
He assured all fun-seekers, buyers and sellers of their safety, saying that they are in a safe, secure, peaceful environment, urging them to “to sit back, relax and see another Lagos creativity that is the first, and the very first Lagos Shopping Festival”.
Governor Sanwo-Olu expressed his appreciation to the sponsors of the Lagos Shopping Festival for their unwavering support to drive the story of Lagos commerce, entertainment and creativity.
“I want to thank all of our sponsors from FirstBank, to Zenith Bank, to Tolaram, to Smirnoff Ice, to Indomie Noodles, to OmniBiz, to PowerOil, to Minimie, and to Malta Guinness, all of them, including the Lagos State Government. I want to thank you”.
He also commended all the local and small businesses at the festival, and urged Lagosians and Nigerians to always patronize them.
“More importantly, to all the small businesses that are inside and under the canopies, go out there and make good deals. Go out there and do huge purchases from them. Go out there and make their small-scale market, work for them; because here, we want the market to be meeting all of the shoppers. That’s what this is all about. It’s about buying stuff at the most reduced market. It’s about entertainment, it’s about food, it’s about tourism. This is what Lagos has given to you again,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Also, commenting, the MD/ Chief Strategist, Chain Reactions Africa, the organisers of the Lagos Shopping Festival, Mr Israel Jaiye Opayemi, buttressed the strategic significance of the festival saying, “LSF is poised to be the catalyst that will redefine the true essence of commerce, especially SME businesses, the creative ecosystem, and fun times with family, friends and loved one. LSF is sure set to open a new vista of socio-economic growth from Lagos, to Nigeria, whilst raising a unique bar in the African market”.
Fun-seekers and business men and women alike had entertainment value for their time, with dancing and singing competition with the winners adjudged by the audience receiving cash gifts. The highlight of the day was the energy-revving musical performances from the youthful Ayo Maff, with the soulful rendition of songs from Adekunle Gold the icing on the cake for the audience who kept singing along to his enchanting stage performances.
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Darey Anderson
July 14, 2016 at 12:24 pm
It is very sad regardless of anybody’s believe or political affiliations to put up this type of unguarded act at the upper chambers less for any human that is expected to be a role model to have descend so low by ranting senseless lyrics amongst Honorable colleagues because he wants to make a point. That is why Africa is still very far behind with regards to human rights and political administration. No matter how well connected, well accepted or popular, no politician in the western world can make such statement and not go down the drain. Right away the fellow will become a political nonentity.