Nigerian Senate is supporting Melaye against Tinubu - LACVAW

A group in Nigeria known as Legislative Advocacy Coalition on Violence Against Women (LACVAW) has accused the Nigerian Senate of complicity for its silence on the row between Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Senator ‎ Melaye had reportedly assaulted Senator Tinubu verbally and threatened to beat up. Tinubu, is a senator representing Lagos Central while Melaye represents Kogi West.
Tinubu is also the wife of APC leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The incident, which occurred last week during an executive session of the Upper Chamber, has drawn the fury of many Nigerians including the group.
Charmaine Pereira, Chairperson, Board of Trustees, LACVAW has accused the Senate of aiding and abetting Senator Melaye’s sexist remarks by refusing to comment.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, she said “Violent behaviour and sexually demeaning language should be condemned whether they occur against in closed door meetings, other private spaces or in the public arena.”

“Senator Melaye’s confrontation with Senator Remi Tinubu represents yet another occasion when the democratic values that ought to underpin women’s legitimate right to hold public offices are undermined,” the Chairperson said.
The Group said that the assertion ‘nothing will happen’‎ as blatantly uttered by Senator Melaye in the upper chamber is simply unacceptable as it connotes the general impunity pervading violence in Nigeria, especially against women.
LACVAW further demanded for a statement of condemnation from the Senate President of Senator Melaye’s behaviour, while the latter retracts his abusive statements and issues an apology for his obnoxious conduct against a colleague.
Meanwhile, Senator Tinubu has petitioned the leadership of the All Progressives Congress and the Senate over her clash with Melaye.
The petition followed an earlier letter to the acting Inspector of Police, Ibrahim Idris, in which she asked for “adequate security” for fear Melaye might kill her.
The two senators, who are members of the ruling APC, clashed during a Senate closed-door session last Tuesday.
In Tinubu’s letters, she expressed worry that the Senate leadership had not taken action to address Melaye’s “threatening misconduct”.
SHE wrote “I am both a ranking Senator and a woman. But Senator Melaye took neither into consideration as he issued threats of rape and assault, while boasting he would face no consequence even if he fulfilled these criminal threats.”
The APC and the Senate are yet to respond.