Gbajabiamila resigns as Reps member, resumes as CoS to Tinubu
..congratulates Akpabio, Abbas, others
By Tom Okpe
Immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has formally, resigned his membership of the Green Chamber of the National Assembly.
Gbajabiamila who was sworn-in for the 6th term on Tuesday tendered his resignation letter to the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas at plenary on Wednesday, before members.
In the letter read by former Majority Leader of the House, Alhassan Ado Doguwa said it was to enable him, Gbajabiamila assume duty as Chief of Staff, (CoS) to President Bola Tinubu.
President Tinubu had on Friday, June appointed him as Chief of Staff at a meeting with Progressives Governors Forum, (PGF) in Abuja.
Gbajabiamila while submitting the letter said: “It is with mixed feelings that I want to, at this time, moment, hour and this minute present to this House, my letter of resignation from this House.”
The letter reads: “I write to tender my resignation as a member of the 10th House of Representatives.
“As you are aware, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked that I come and join him as Chief of Staff.”
After reading the letter, Speaker Abbas declared the Seat for Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos which Gbajabiamila represented, vacant.
Meanwhile, the former speaker
on Wednesday, congratulated Senator Godswill Akpabio and Rep Tajudeen Abbas for emerging as the 10th President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively following a keenly contested election on Tuesday.
Gbajabiamila also sent his congratulations to Senator Jibrin Barau and Rep Ben Kalu as deputies to the presiding officers.
According to Gbajabiamila, who resigned his membership of the House on Wednesday is also, set to resume as the Chief of Staff, (CoS) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying, “emergence of the presiding officers was an affirmation of the cohesive nature of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) and the triumph of party supremacy.”
He said it is instructive and reassuring to note that the presiding officer’s election showed the party and lawmakers have unity of purpose and focus on the needs of the country, which are greater than personal interests.
He also congratulated all members of the 10th National Assembly, including members of the opposition parties that buried their political differences in favour of the national interest to support candidates of the APC.
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“Members should not lose sight of the work ahead, keep supporting the presiding officers in their bid to succeed in their constitutional duties for the benefit of Nigerians.”
While wishing them well in their legislative journey, Gbajabiamila also urged the newly inaugurated National Assembly not to abandon some legislation that the last Assembly could not conclude work on.
