By Ayo Yusuf
As the House of Representatives resume plenary Tuesday, the Speaker, Hon Tajudeen Abbas has declared vacant the seats of two members who left to join President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
The members were the Minister of Interior, Hön. Tunji Olubunmi-Ojo, and the Minister of State for Education, Hön. Tanko Sununu, who have both resigned their seats in the House of Representatives in line with constitutional provisions.
Their letters of resignation were read on the floor of the House on Tuesday by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Hön. Olubunmi-Ojo and Hon Sununu were appointed by President Tinubu and cleared by the Senate in August, however, since the House had been on recess since July they couldn’t tender their resignations immediately.
While Hon Olubunmi-Ojo represented the Akoko North-east/Akoko North-west federal constituency of Ondo State, Hon Sununu was the representative of the Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski federal constituency of Kebbi State in the lower chamber.
Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution provides that a member shall cease to be a member if appointed as minister.
“A member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if -he becomes President, Vice-President, Governor, Deputy Governor or a Minister of the Government of the Federation or a Commissioner of the Government of a State or a Special Adviser,” the section reads.
Meanwhile, a new member, Salisu Majigiri (PDP, Katsina) has been sworn into the House at the resumption of plenary.
Hon Majigiri was declared the winner of the 25 February election for Mashi/Dutsi federal constituency of Katsina State after polling 27,387 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mansir Ali of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who polled 20,596 votes.
However, his candidacy was challenged by Nazifi Yusuf at the Supreme Court, which In April, affirmed the candidacy of Hön Majigiri.
