Despite overwhelming evidence including a viral video showing Remi Tinubu, wife of All Progressives Congress chieftain, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, calling a woman a thug at the newly opened Marriot Hotel in Lagos, venue of a public hearing on constitutional review on Wednesday, the Senator representing Lagos Central, has denied calling anyone a thug.
Participants who attended the south west zonal public hearing of the constitution review, were made to queue to register before they were allowed entry into the hall.
However, things took a down ward turn when some participants were denied entry into the venue of the hearing, prompting them to protest.
In the ensuing melee, Remi Tinubu called an educationist, Arinola Oloko, a thug, a description that didn’t go down well with Oloko and other participants.
Thus a shouting match ensued.
But Remi Tinubu has denied calling Oloko a thug. According to her, she asked Oloko if she was a thug and not that she called her a thug.
While featuring on TVC breakfast show, ‘Your View’ , the former First Lady of Lagos State said, “It was the noise I heard and as somebody concerned, I went there, that they will be a bit respectful when they see that they put my name as chair and I came out to see them.
“‘At least, we will be able to talk and dialogue. I didn’t know that it will turn into a noisy field and people will start screaming.
“I looked at them and I saw a woman. I will tell you, most of the works I’ve done have been supported by women. I understand women more than men despite the men I work with and even the men I work with, I respect them when I have to respect them but in this particular incident, I looked at the man, he was angry, possibly he could have waited for a long time.
“I didn’t know who registered, I wasn’t on the registration desk but I looked at the woman screaming and I said I can talk to a woman.
“I said, let me talk to you outside where everybody is, I’ve had COVID and I don’t think I want to be in a cramped place to want to be speaking. And I said, let’s go outside so that I can hear you and hear your complaint.”
“Then, she kept screaming and I said what is going on, are you a thug? I am not going to take that. Are you a thug? Am I talking to a thug? Then her eyes were popping and popping. She is younger than I am, why would I call her a thug outrightly?” the senator asked.