. Constitutes 9-man burial committee
The Senate yesterday deferred deliberation on the draft bill of the 1999 Constitution review till Tuesday next week in honour of their departed colleague, Senator Pius Akor Ewherido, who died at the National Hospital Abuja last Sunday.
The red chamber had fixed deliberation on the draft constitution review to commence yesterday and run throughout this week. But following the adoption of the motion moved by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba (Cross River Central) and seconded by the Minority Leader, George Akume (Benue North-West), the lawmakers voted for the debate to hold next week.
The Senate also yesterday observed a minute's silence in honour of Ewherido. Yesterday's sitting lasted for about 10 minutes amidst sober and sorrowful mood amongst the senators. Most of them adorned black attires to reflect the mood of the red chamber.
Moving the motion for adjournment yesterday, Ndoma-Egba observed that, "there is nothing in the order paper today and it is deliberate." He remarked that the Senate on Sunday suffered a terrible loss with the death of, "one of our own and one of our brightest and best." It was for this reason that he moved for the adjournment in honour of their departed one.
Immediately after the brief sitting, the senators quietly filed out and kept straight faces as they retired to the Senate President's reception hall where they usually retire for lunch after each sitting session.
Meanwhile, Senate President David Mark who presided at the brief sitting yesterday constituted a nine-member burial committee headed by the Chairman of the Senate Services Committee, Suleiman Adokwe (Nasarawa South).The committee is to liaise with the family of the deceased senator to organise a befitting burial for Ewherido.
Other members include: Senators James Manager (Delta South), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta North), Olusola Adeyeye (Osun Central), Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia Central), Eta Inang (Akwa Ibom North-East), Nenadi Usman (Kaduna South), Dantong Gyang (Plateau North) and Joshua Ledani (Gombe South).
