The Senate resumed from its 2-week break on Tuesday, April 13, 2021, but suspended plenary in honour of two members of the House of Representatives who passed on during the break.

It adjourned plenary till Wednesday after observing a minute silence in honour of the deceased in line with the tradition of the National Assembly.

Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, moved the motion for the adjournment, which was seconded by the Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe.

Abdullahi, while raising the motion, stated, “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.

“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; also another motion for this Distinguished chamber to observe one minute silence in honour of the departed, I so move.”

In his remarks, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, described the demise of the two lawmakers as “another sad development in the National Assembly”.