The Senate on Tuesday expressed dismay over the prolonged stay of former Senate President Joseph Wayas’s remains in a London mortuary, 14 months after his death. Wayas, who served as a senator during the Second Republic, died on 20 November 2021 after being hospitalized in London, and his body was placed in the hospital’s morgue.
Through a motion moved by Senator Gershom Bassey, the Senate declared the delay in Wayas’s burial embarrassing for both the Senate and the Federal Government. Bassey urged the government to urgently remove the remains from the London mortuary and arrange a dignified burial in Nigeria, suggesting that the Senate take over the burial plans to prevent further embarrassment. He stated, “It is very worrisome and embarrassing that 14 months after the death of the former Senate President, his remains still lie in the morgue in the UK. The Senate needs to, as a matter of urgency, intervene by taking over the burial plans of the deceased.”
Several senators, including Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North), Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger North), Uche Ekwunife (PDP, Anambra Central), and Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), expressed sadness over the situation and called on the Senate to coordinate with the relevant authorities for a solution.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan also remarked that the 14‑month delay in Wayas’s burial was highly embarrassing for the National Assembly and the Federal Government. He noted, “This is not a good commentary on us as a country. Unfortunately, an attempt made last year to provide lifelong medical support for Presiding Officers of the National Assembly was rejected during voting on constitutional amendments. The embarrassment surrounding Joseph Wayas’s remains calls for reflection, and I hope the 10th Assembly will do the needful.”
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