The Senate Press Corps, a collection of journalists from various media covering the National Assembly, has in a few weeks recorded the deaths of loved ones of members of the Corps.

Among those affected is the Assistant Political Editor of Vanguard newspaper, Henry Umoru, whose wife and mother died within a few hours of each other.

Kogi State radio’s reporter, Janet Salisu, and Lagos Television (LTV) cameraman, Ayo Oguntade, both lost their mothers in between a week.

The Corps was thrown into a pensive mood on Wednesday morning when reporters upon resuming on Wednesday for reportorial activities, were hit with news of the death of a colleague, and reporter with Nigerian Tribune newspaper, Adeyemi Tijani Yinusa.

Yinusa, who was at the National Assembly on Tuesday, reportedly slumped as he made to enter the edifice for work on Wednesday.

He was rushed to the clinic at the office of the Secretary General to the Federation (SGF) where he was confirmed dead due to cardiac arrest.

While preparation was ongoing to bury the deceased journalist according to Islamic rites, the Senate, during plenary, was thrown into pandemonium when Balarabe Abbas Lawal, a ministerial nominee from Kaduna State, slumped during plenary.

Abbas, who was next to address the lawmakers after Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, the ministerial nominee from Kwara State, suddenly lost his gusto, and slided to the floor, beside the rostrum.

His collapse threw the Chamber into confusion as the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, was heard screaming through the microphone, “bring water and sugar.”

The Kaduna State nominee was however revived shortly after by Doctors at the National Assembly Clinic, but was not allowed to continue his presentation by the Senate President.

Amid the chaos, Senator Elisha Abo (APC Jigawa North), who had earlier ran out of the Chamber for emergency solution ran back when he saw the doctors and told them to arrange for an ambulance.

But his suggestion was kicked against by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Abdullahi Gumel.

Appointment of Balarabe Abbas Lawal, was however confirmed by the Senate along with the two others who appeared before the Senate for the screening.

The two other nominees now Ministers – Designate, are Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim from Kwara State and Mr Ayodele Olawande from Ondo State. (Daily Independent)

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