Senate Pays Last Respects To Kuta

…Valedictory Session For The Late Senator Holds Wednesday

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, June 24, (THEWILL) – In conformity with its tradition of honouring every dead member, the Senate adjourned plenary session on Tuesday in honour of Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta (PDP Niger East) who died on June 12.

The Senators, who just resumed from its recess sat for less than 10 minutes for adoption of proceedings of its last session held on June 15 and thereafter adjourned plenary till Wednesday.

Moving the motion for the Senate adjournment, Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma Egba (PDP Cross Rivers Central), said ” while we were on break, tragedy befell this chamber with the sudden death of our dear colleague, Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Character , who died on the 12th of this month in Lagos on his way for medical treatment abroad.'

Ndoma-Egba added: ” Distinguished Colleagues, may I in line with our tradition, move that this Senate do adjourn plenary till tomorrow (25th June 2014) in honour of our departed colleague. “

The Senate subsequently adopted the motion and put to it for approval by the Senate President, David Mark, who added that the Senate sitting Wednesday would be devoted solely for valedictory session in honour of the late senator. The ceremony is to have the Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu and family members of the late senator as special guests.

Senator Mark also led other senators in signing the condolence register opened at the entrance of the Senate chamber.

Addressing journalists after signing the register, Mark said: ” In Kuta, Nigeria and indeed the Senate has lost a very patriotic citizen who at all times, joined hands with other patriots to move the country forward through whatever national assignment given to him.'

The Senate President said 'Specifically, the late Senator Kuta made the Senate Committee on Federal Character to be very vibrant and responsive to its legislative responsibilities in terms of making relevant agencies under it to reflect equity in federal appointment and distribution of resources.”

Also speaking, the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu , said the senate had lost a man whose dedication to work was enviable.

'We have lost the husband of our female senators and for those of you who cover the senate, you know what I mean by that.

“We have lost a man I call my fellow Comrade, he was indeed a great man, a man who did his work diligently and who was patriotic to Nigeria and took his job as a call for service.

“We are going to miss him heavily and we believe that God will give all of us the fortitude to bear the loss.

“My condolence goes to the people of Niger, to his family and to the Igbo community because they liked him so much and he liked them too.”

Describing the late Kuta as a detribalised Nigerian, Ekweremadu said his death was a a big loss to the entire senate.

EMMA UCHE, ABUJA