The House of Representatives has on Tuesday adjourned plenary in honour of the lawmaker representing Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency of Niger State, Ja’afaru Iliyasu, who died on Monday.

The session, which lasted about 20 minutes, was adjourned till Wednesday.

The Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, walked into the chamber at 11: 16pm, officially announced Iliyasu’s death to members at 11:28am, and asked a member, Haruna Dederi to pray for the soul of the deceased.

After Dederi said Islamic prayers, Wase asked the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Abubakar Fulata, to move a motion for the suspension of all items on the Order Paper for the day.

Wase also asked the Deputy Minority Leader, Peter Akpatason, to move a motion for adjournment of the plenary till 11am on Wednesday, which was seconded by the Majority Whip Mohammed Monguno.

The session ended at 11:36am.

It is a tradition in National Assembly that the chambers adjourn plenary for a legislative day when a member of either the Senate or House dies.

Iliyasu, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, was said to have died at his Maitama residence in Abuja.

The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, who confirmed the death in a statement on Monday, expressed sadness over the demise of the lawmaker.

The statement said Iliyasu had just returned to Abuja on Sunday after a retreat organised for members of the House Committee on Public Accounts in Lagos.