Former speaker Gbajabiamila bows out of House of Reps as speaker declares seat vacant

Femi Gbajabiamila, the immediate past Speaker of the House, has formally tendered his resignation as a member representing Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State.

Sequel to his resignation, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas declared the seat vacant and announced that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would conduct a bye-election to fill the vacant position.

Telescope.ng gathered that Gbajabiamila presented his letter of resignation to Speaker Abbas precisely at 12:12 pm.

In the letter, read aloud by the Speaker, Gbajabiamila conveyed his appointment as Chief of Staff to the President, necessitating his departure from the House in order to serve in his new role.

He expressed gratitude to the House members for their unwavering support throughout his tenure, particularly during his four-year term as Speaker.

Addressing the House, Gbajabiamila stated, “With mixed feelings, I hereby present to this House, my letter of resignation.” The resignation will take effect from June 14, 2023.

He further explained: “As you are aware, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has requested that I join him as Chief of Staff.

“After my long service in the House of Representatives, I have accepted this appointment. Serving in the House of Representatives has been a tremendous honour, for which I am eternally grateful to God, the people of Surulere Lagos, Nigerians, and all those who have supported me in various ways.”

Gbajabiamila expressed his appreciation to his colleagues in the 9th House of Representatives for electing him as Speaker and extending their support throughout their tenure.

He congratulated the newly elected Speaker and wished him success in his new position.

Following the reading of the letter, Gbajabiamila received a standing ovation from the members and was accompanied out of the Chamber by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and a few other representatives.

Speaker Abbas acknowledged Gbajabiamila’s contributions to the House and wished him well in his future endeavours.

Speaker Abbas officially declared the seat for Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State vacant, effective immediately, in accordance with Gbajabiamila’s resignation letter.

The House will now await the conduct of a bye-election by INEC to fill the vacant seat.