Date: 2015-02-18

The Kwara State House of Assembly Chairman, Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Alhaji Suleiman Idris, died on Wednesday at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital at the age of 53.

A family source, who craved anonymity, said Idris might have died as a result of diabetes-related illness.

The leadership of the Assembly had rushed Idris to UITH on Tuesday when it was discovered that he could not present the 2015 budget report of the committee to the Assembly owing to his deteriorating illness.

Medical personnel at the UITH were said to have battled in vain to save Idris’ life as he died on Wednesday.

The lawmaker, until his death, was a two-term legislator and represented llesha-Gwannara constituency in Baruteen Local Government Area of the state.

The announcement of Idris’ death threw the state lawmakers and workers at the state House of Assembly complex into mourning.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Razak Atunwa, who was on his way to the floor of the House for the presentation and passage of the budget before he was informed of the death, immediately conveyed a meeting with the state legislators.

Atunwa, during the plenary, ordered the postponement of the presentation of the report and the passage of the 2015 budget.

He later adjourned plenary till Tuesday, February 24 in honour of the late lawmaker.

He stated that the measures were to enable members to take part in Idris’ burial programme.