Senate and House of Representatives at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday, from its 19 days Easter break, adjourned again in honour of two fallen colleagues, Hon. Haruna Maitala and Hon. Suleiman Lere.
Maitala who represented Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency of Plateau State died in a road mishap on April 2, 2021, while Lere who also represented Lere Federal Constituency of Kaduna died after a brief illness on April 6.
While the Senate adjourned plenary to Wednesday, 14th April, the House adjourned to Tuesday, 20th April 2021.
In his tribute to the deceased, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila described the deaths of the two lawmakers as shocking.
He said, ”Both deaths were shocking, Hon. Maitala from plateau state, quiet gentleman. I saw his family last Sunday in Jos, as expected the loss was very painful to his loved ones. The circumstances surrounding his death is very painful.
The day he died, he had just come back from an official assignment ECOWAS parliament and was going to Jos for his son’s wedding when death confronted him. He died together with his son and Hon. Yusuf Gadgi legislative aide. He tried to run for the House of Representatives a couple of times and lost and eventually got it and then this. We commiserate with the family.
”Hon. Lere’s death is also painful, we know how he struggled in law courts for his election petition case and he eventually won almost after two years, we swore him in two months ago which was a very bitter fight. Only for us to hear he died few weeks after his swearing-in. Both deaths are difficult to understand but God knows best.”
The Speaker also disclosed that the House would next week hold a valedictory session for late Hon. Ossy Prestige died in February after a brief illness.
Until his death, Prestige represented Aba North and Aba South Federal Constituency of Abia State.
