The Senate on Tuesday asked the Federal Government to immortalise the late designer of the national flag Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi.

After the motion moved by Sen. Sharafadeen Abiodun representing Oyo South, the lawmakers observed a minute silence.

They also called on the Federal Government to conduct a state burial in his honour for his befitting role in the design of the national flag.

The Senate also dissolved into the committee of the whole to consider the report of the committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FEMA). The upper chamber therefore approved the appointment of Engineer Chukwuemeka Agbasi as Managing Director of FERMA as well as nine others as members of the agency.

Also during plenary, the Senate President announced Abba Moro of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the new Minority Leader.

Moro (Benue South) replaces Sen. Simon Nwadkwon representing Plateau North under the Platform of the PDP who was sacked by the court on October 23.

An uproar, however, ensued in the upper chamber when Sen. Osita Ngwu (Enugu West/PDP) was announced as Senate Minority Whip replacing Sen. Darlington Nwokwocha from the Labour Party.

Sen. Okechukwu Ezea from Enugu North rose to fault the nomination. His personal observation/ objection was backed by Sen. Tony Nwoye of the Labour Party who equally rose to challenge the ceding of three of the minority leadership to the PDP leaving the Labour Party with no representation in the senate leadership.

After an intense argument, the President of the Senate took the majority decision who had voted in favour of the PDP, for Senate Minority Whip.