…Upper Chamber Suspends Plenary over Member’s Death
By Baron Ike (with agency report)
The Senate on Thursday paid a condolence visit to the family of its deceased member, Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu who died in Abuja on Wednesday.
Uwajumogu slumped in his house and was rushed to the hospital where he gave up the ghost.
Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, his deputy, Ovie Omo-Agege, the minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, led other senators to the Abuja family home of the Uwajumogus to commiserate with the wife and other family members.
Other members of the Senate Leadership on the delegation include Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi; Deputy Chief Whip, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, and Deputy Minority Whip, Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u.
Senators on the delegation are: Chairman, Senate Committee on Tourism, Rochas Okorocha; Chairman, Committee on Appropriations, Jibrin Barau; Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Opeyemi Bamidele; Senator Aishatu Ahmed (APC, Adamawa Central), and Abdulfatai Buhari (APC, Oyo North).
The Senate leadership had earlier officially announced the demise of Chairman, Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity, Senator Uwajumogu and subsequently suspended plenary in his honour to Friday.
Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, raised a motion by during plenary via Senate resolution suspend Rule 13 of the Senate in order to conclude and finish businesses before the legislators embark on Christmas and New Year break.
“Going by our tradition, I move that a minute silence be observed in honour of the deceased,” Abdullahi moved.
While raising Point of Order ’43’, Abdullahi said that the late Uwajumogu who represented Imo North Senatorial District, died at 51.
“We regret to announce the tragic loss of our colleague, Senator Uwajumogu. Nigeria has suffered a great loss. He had made his contribution on the floor of the Senate a day before his death.
“It was a loss that startled all of us. We pray God to grant his soul eternal rest,“ he said.
The Senate Leader further noted that the late Senator was a former Speaker, Imo House of Assembly and a Senator per excellence.
Seconding the motion for the suspension of plenary, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe stated that: “As Igbos, we have several names that we use whenever death happens.
“You can have names like ‘death, don’t come’, but the one that we give that is most appropriate today is that death will never take away your name.”
“Today while supporting this motion, I want to let all Nigerians know that death will not take away his name from us.”
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, said that suspension of Rule 13 was to enable the Senate sit on Friday which he noted was not a ‘sitting day.’
Speaking at Uwajumogu’s home, Lawan said that the Senate will protect the ideals he stood for during his stint as lawmaker representing Imo North Senatorial District at the National Assembly.
“We represent Nigerians. The responsibility of ensuring that our people are protected, supported and promoted will continue to be our guiding light and ideal, because this is something that he worked very hard for and believed in.
“This delegation is a delegation from the Senate, and I want to assure this family that we will be in this grief with you, and when you arrange for the funeral, please let us be informed of the arrangements,” Lawan said.
The Senate President added that all through Uwajumogu’s sojourn in the Senate, he remained committed to serving Nigerians and its citizens.
Lawan informed the family that the Senate will appoint one of its own to liaise with the family in making arrangements for the funeral of the deceased lawmaker.
The Senate President while signing the condolence register at the family’s residence wrote: “Our Distinguished Colleague and brother, you believed that, as Senators we should always protect our people.”
“We, your colleagues, will certainly remain focused on this ideal. We shall be alive to the task of protecting Nigerians wherever they are.
“Adieu, the quintessential legislator per excellence,” Lawan added.