Remi Tinubu refuses to apologise for calling woman a thug

Senator Remi Tinubu (Lagos Central - APC) has refused to apologise for calling a woman a thug during a heated argument at the zonal public hearing of the review of the 1999 Constitution.

The altercation between the two happened because the other party was trying to get into the Marriott Hotel venue of the hearing in Lagos, but was met with resistance from the lawmaker who's the chairperson of the session.

She barred entry because the hall was full, and crowd control measures at the door was starting to break down, interfering with the process during the first day of hearing on Wednesday, May 26, 2021.

The lawmaker's 'thug' comment was considered rude by eyewitnesses, and she has also been widely criticised on social media since a video of the encounter was posted online.

When asked for her reaction after the second day of hearing on Thursday, May 27, Senator Tinubu accused her detractors of politicising the encounter.

She said, "I'm not scared to speak. If we're trying to build a country for you and you're playing politics of calumny, it's a shame; but I'm dedicated to what I do and will continue to be dedicated.

"At age 60, if I'm scared, I shouldn't be representing my constituency."

The lawmaker is no stranger to controversy, and was recently criticised for politicising the issue of insecurity when a fellow member of her party, Senator Smart Adeyemi, voiced his concerns that were considered to paint the APC-led Federal Government in bad light.