…As Senators Akobundu, Ngwu take over as Vice Chairmen FCT, Airforce Committees

By Henry Umoru, ABUJA

The Senate has suspended plenary to honour Sen. Okechukwu Ezea, LP, Enugu North Senatorial District, who died on Tuesday, 18.

Soon after the Senate on Tuesday took the prayers, approval of the votes and proceedings, announcements and petitions in the order paper, the leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central, moved the motion for the suspension of the sitting in line with the Senate’s tradition.

The motion was seconded by Deputy Minority Leader, Sen. Olalere Oyewumi, PDP, Osun West.

In the motion, Bamidele said, “Inconsistent with our tradition as well as our parliamentary customs and traditions, I move that we suspend all other legislative activities for the day.

“I also move that all of us, upon adjourning this proceeding, proceed to pay a condolence visit to the family of the late Okechukwu Ezea.

“It is unfortunate this death occurred,” Bamidele said.

The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, thereafter called for the observation of a minute’s silence in honour of the deceased and announced that there were buses to convey the Senators on a condolence visit to the family.

The late lawmaker was, until his demise, the vice chairman of both the Senate Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa and NEPAD and the Senate Committee on Culture and Creative Economy.

Meanwhile, Senator Akpabio has announced the appointment of Senator Austin Akobundu, PDP, Abia Central, as Vice Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senate Committee and Senator Osita Ngwu, PDP, Enugu West, as Vice Chairman of the Air Force Committee.