The Minister of Interior, Tunji Olubunmi-Ojo, and the Minister of State for Education, Tanko Sununu, have formally tendered their resignations from the House of Representatives.
Their resignation letters were presented on the House floor this Tuesday by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Mr. Olubunmi-Ojo had been representing the Akoko North-east/Akoko North-west federal constituency of Ondo State, while Mr. Sununu was the representative of the Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski federal constituency of Kebbi State in the lower chamber. Both were appointed by President Bola Tinubu and were cleared by the Senate in August, although the House had been in recess since July.
According to Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution, a member of the House will automatically vacate their seat upon being appointed as a minister.
The section reads, “(1) 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.”
In related news, Salisu Majigiri (PDP, Katsina) was sworn in as a new member of the House during the resumption of plenary. Mr. Majigiri emerged victorious in the February 25 election for the Mashi/Dutsi federal constituency of Katsina State, garnering 27,387 votes, surpassing his closest rival, Mansir Ali of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who received 20,596 votes.
His candidacy faced a legal challenge at the Supreme Court by Nazifi Yusuf, but in April, the court affirmed Mr. Majigiri’s candidacy.
