10th NASS: APC Reveals Gbajabiamila’s Replacement
10th NASS: APC Reveals Gbajabiamila’s Replacement:
At least three members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have indicated their interest to fly the party’s ticket in the by-election that will produce the replacement of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Gbajabiamila who represents Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State, was re-elected for the 6th term in the 2023 general elections.
The lawmaker tendered his resignation letter on Wednesday, on the floor of the House of Representatives, following his resumption of work as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
Gbajabiamila was announced as the Chief of Staff to the President earlier this month in a statement issued by the State House Director of Information, Abiodun Oladunjoye.
A source who is familiar with the underground politicking going on in the Surulere 1 Federal Constituency, told our newspaper on Wednesday, that there are about three aspirants already.
“There’re about three people contesting, including a woman,” the source said.
According to the source, one of those who is contesting under the APC is Hon. Faud Laguda. Laguda is said to be the current Chairman of APC in Surulere LGA.
It was also gathered that a former acting Chairman of Surulere Local Government, Agboola Dabiri; and a two-term ex-member of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Kabir Lawal is also in the race for the APC ticket.
Gbajabiamila’s resignation is in line with the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. Chapter 8. Part 2. Section 306 (1) of the Constitution states: “Save as otherwise provided in this section, any person who is appointed, elected or otherwise selected to any office established by this Constitution may resign from that office by writing under his hand addressed to the authority or person by whom he was appointed, elected or selected.”
Subsection 7 states: “The notice of resignation of a member of a legislative house shall be addressed to the President of the Senate or, as the case may require, to the Speaker of the legislative house in question.”
Following his resignation, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is expected to conduct a by-election, which will be contested by all interested political parties, later in the year.
