National Assembly adjourns sitting over member’s death

Resumption of plenary by the National Assembly after eights week recess failed on Tuesday following announcement of the death of a member of the House of Representatives, Mr Elijah Oluwatayo.

The aborted resumption was to mark the beginning of the second legislative year of the 8th assembly.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, while reading a letter from the family of the deceased, said that Oluwatayo (APC-Lagos) died on July 20, 2016 at the age of 66.

Dogara also announced the death of three former members of the House – Muhammed Useni, Alex Eze and Etim Atakpa.

He said that Useni represented Makarfi Federal Constituency of Kaduna state from 1999 to 2003, while Eze represented Nsukka/Igboeze Constituency of Enugu state within the same period.

He said Atakpa represented Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara Federal constituency of Akwa Ibom from 1992 to 1993 on the platform of the defunct National Republican Convention.

He said, “As a serving member is involved, and as the tradition of the House demands, we have to adjourn sitting till Wednesday to honour the deceased.”

The House of Representatives in the 8th National Assembly has recorded four deaths of members since inauguration in June, 2015.

(PUNCH)