As Nigerians continue to condemn the verbal attack Dino Melaye launched on his colleague, Senator Remi Tinubu during the senate's plenary yesterday July 13th, a women based group, the Women Advocacy Research and Development Centre (WARDC) has given him three days to apologise to Mrs Tinubu or they will picket the National Assembly. The group made the threat in a statement released today and signed by its Coordinator, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi. Read the statement below:
"Failure of Senator Dino Melaye to take this appropriate step will lead to OCCUPY NATIONAL ASSEMBLY by well meaning Nigerians"the statement read The women group condemned the seeming silence of the senate to Dino's verbal attack on a woman.
"Verbal abuse, assault and battery of women is becoming a pattern in our democratic dispensation and it is a reflection of the numerous abuses that women face on a daily basis in the society According to National Demographic and Health Survey Report (2013), 28 percent of women age 15-49 have experienced physical violence at least once and 7 percent have experienced sexual violence in Nigeria and it is believed these figures are not representative of the magnitude of the problem.
Between 2003 till date, notable women lawmakers have experienced physical and verbal abuse from men who are supposed to protect their rights. Senator Iyabo Anisulowo, was slapped by another Lawmaker at the National Assembly while another female lawmaker from Edo state was battered by an aide to an Immigration Oficer at the Assembly Complex earlier this year. Honourable Funmi Tejuoso was also physically assaulted at the Lagos State House of Assembly sometimes ago then this gender insecurity against Senator Oluremi Tinubu. Unfortunately, despite the public outcry against the security threat to Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the senate and the APC have not yet responded to the matter. The silence on the matter by the Senate and other members of the National Assembly vividly explains a tacit support from the hallowed Chamber on violence against women"the statement read.
