National Assembly resumes, adjourns plenary in honour of two dead Reps

Joshua Elekwachi, Abuja

The two chambers of the National Assembly resumed on Tuesday, but immediately suspended plenary in honour of two members of the House of Representatives  who recently died while the assembly was on recess.

The National Assembly embarked on a two-week recess in commemoration of the Easter celebrations.

In the Senate the decision to suspend plenary was carried out in line with the tradition of the National Assembly, following a motion moved by the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, and seconded by the Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe.

Moving the motion, the Senate Leader said, “This Distinguished chamber and, to our Distinguished colleagues, the passing of two members of the National Assembly by names of Honourable Haruna Maitala, who until his demise represented Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency of Plateau State, and who we lost on 2nd April, 2021, in a ghastly motor accident.

“The second loss we suffered, was that of another Honourable member, Hon. Suleiman Aliyu Lere, representing Lere Federal Constituency from Kaduna State, whom we also lost on 6th April , 2021.”

Abdullahi added, “Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, I rise in accordance with our tradition, to move a two motions: one for the suspension on all other items scheduled for consideration on the order paper today; [And] also another motion for this Distinguished chamber to observe one minute silence in honour of the departed, I so move.”

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, while putting the motion to a voice vote which was unanimously supported by Senators, described the demise of the two lawmakers as “another sad development in the National Assembly.”

In the House of Representatives, a minute silence was also observed in honour of the departed lawmakers.

Both chambers adjourned plenary till Wednesday, 14th April, 2021.