The senator representing Lagos Central, Sen. Remi Tinubu, is presently trending on social media for an altercation she had with embattled Senator Elisha Abbo.
Tinubu, a member of the Senate investigative committee on Elisha Abbo’s alleged assault, had lashed out at the senator after he refused to comment on the matter.
Abbo (PDP – Adamawa North), who appeared before the Sen. Sam Egwu-led committee on Tuesday, refused to allow the clerk of the committee put him on oath, as is the usual practice.
He further told the committee that the matter was already in court, and so he could not make comments that would amount to prejudice of court process.
The senator added that he only appeared before the committee as a show of respect to them as his colleagues.
But Tinubu said, “The Senate carefully selected members of this committee to hear your own side of the story which has gone viral.
“What we are doing here as a legislature is a position taken by the Senate to hear from you and others involved.
“This matter has affected the Senate as an institution and we have been mandated to investigate it.
“You can’t sit there on the other side and dictate the modalities and approach we follow as a committee.
“We are trying to protect the Senate and hear from you, but we can also suspend you because of your attitude.”
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But some Nigerians flayed Tinubu, describing her manner of approach as “condescending”, while many others backed her for putting the embattled senator in his place.
See reactions:
I’ve watched a longer video of the exchange between Remi Tinubu and Elisha Abbo. I get that Abbo is “underserving” of respect and has anger problem, but Senator Tinubu was unnecessarily condescending. At a point she sounded as though she’s addressing a school kid, not colleague.
— Gimba Kakanda (@gimbakakanda) July 9, 2019
What really worried me the most about the heated exchange between Senators Remi Tinubu and Elisha Abbo was the offer to defend him if he cooperated with them.
— Nejeeb Bello Oyarese (@NejeebBello) July 10, 2019
A Nigerian Senator beat up a nursing mother in a sex toy shop. A criminal & disgraceful offense. The Senate set up a DISCIPLINARY committee, the assaulter still showed up loud-mouthed & unremorseful in front of the Committee. But it is Remi Tinubu we are dragging. I give up.
— Ayò Bánkólé (@AyoBankole) July 10, 2019
Remi Tinubu and Abbo are two arrogant people playing their default personality roles. They both bleed arrogance and pride. Each had a point, but wrongly & rudely passed. pic.twitter.com/lIsRgpVCJx
— Kolade Akeni (@koladeakeni) July 10, 2019
Remi Tinubu is being called arrogant and condescending.
Do we realise it was a disciplinary committee not an owambe??
— Dr Ola Brown (@NaijaFlyingDr) July 10, 2019
https://twitter.com/Okeydegeneral/status/1148835916695441408
This's d same thing standing as a chairperson of a disciplinary committee? The woman that have shown madness and abuse in different occasions? What a country! She slapped a colleague hiding behind 'I'm a woman', denigrated a whole ethnic group etc. Remi Tinubu is shameless pic.twitter.com/iodLPaqqMN
— Benny Umoren (@BennyUmoren) July 10, 2019
Remi Tinubu have shown similar temperament of the senator she was investigating and Abbo is not ignorant of her misdemeanors in the red chambers. People like Obanikoro and Melaye can attest to it. Nigerians forget easily. pic.twitter.com/i83Xe8DvyF
— EDIDIONG 💙(Nigerian by Affidavit) (@officiallyAKS) July 10, 2019
When Elisha Abbo assaulted the woman, we all called for him to be punished. Remi Tinubu is trying to get that done and y'all are dragging her.
Grudges&Politics>>>Right &Wrong
— Marvin the Paranoid (@Boboye_Ak) July 9, 2019
Senator Abbo is obviously a compulsively violent bully, but his infantilization by Remi Tinubu is intolerably insulting & unacceptable. Like Abbo, Remi was also 41 years old when she first became a senator in 2011. Did anyone denigrate her age in 2011? When did 41 become "young"?
— Farooq Kperogi, Ph.D (@farooqkperogi) July 10, 2019