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The House of Representatives on Tuesday suspended plenary to honour the memory of Hon. Bauchi Tongo, the lawmaker representing Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency of Gombe State, who died last month after a brief illness.
The House, which resumed sitting following its end-of-legislative-year recess, held only a brief session before adjourning until Wednesday, July 8, in keeping with the National Assembly’s long-standing tradition of paying tribute to serving lawmakers who die in office.
Presiding over the session, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu led members in a moment of reflection for the late legislator before inviting lawmakers to offer prayers for the repose of his soul.
The solemn proceedings saw Hon. Usman Kumo (APC, Gombe) lead Muslim prayers, while Hon. Cyril Hart (APC, Rivers) offered Christian prayers, underscoring the House’s bipartisan and interfaith respect for its departed colleague.
Announcing the adjournment, Kalu urged members to return to the chamber despite the absence of legislative business, stressing the importance of standing together in honour of a fallen colleague.
“Honourable members, we are adjourning today’s plenary in honour of our colleague, Hon. Bauchi Tongo, who passed on a few weeks ago. Even though we are not holding a plenary session today, members still need to come to honour one of our own because we don’t know when your turn will come. We pray that God will rest his soul,” he said.
The House thereafter adjourned plenary to Wednesday, July 8, when it is expected to resume consideration of legislative business.
Hon. Tongo, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), died in Abuja on June 12, 2026, at the Nizamiye Hospital after a brief illness. His death was widely mourned within the National Assembly, where colleagues remembered him for his contributions to legislative debates and his representation of the people of Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency.
The suspension of plenary reflects an enduring parliamentary tradition observed by both chambers of the National Assembly whenever a serving member dies. Such sittings are typically devoted to prayers, tributes and reflection in recognition of the deceased lawmaker’s service to the nation before normal legislative proceedings resume.
Tuesday’s sitting marked the House’s formal return from its end-of-session recess, but legislative activities were deferred to allow members to collectively pay their last respects to their late colleague.
