The scramble for Gbajabiamila's seat intensifies in Lagos

Political parties in Lagos State are awaiting the directive from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce the date for the holding of the Surulere Federal Constituency 1 by-election.

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who represented the constituency, was re-elected for the 6th term in the 2023 general election, but handed in his letter of resignation Wednesday, June 14, following his appointment and resumption of his duties as Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.

Gbajabiamila was named the president's chief of staff earlier this month in a statement released by State House Chief Information Officer Abiodun Oladunjoye.

In a letter to newly elected Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas during the plenum, Gbajabiamila said he was resigning to officially resume his duties in his new office.

Gbajabiamila, who attended the plenary and moved a motion under personal explanation to submit his letter of resignation, remarked that serving in the House has been a great honor.

The President, Abbas, after reading the letter, promptly declared vacant the Surulere 1 Federal Constituency seat of Lagos State, which had been held by Gbajabiamila for about 20 years.

"Based on the letter, we have declared the seat of Surulere 1 vacant as of today," Abbas said.

"Having spent the last 20 years in the Nigerian Parliament and having won my 6th term in the National Assembly, I will work with Mr. President to accomplish the enormous task ahead of him for the peace and progress of the federal government.Republic of Nigeria.

“I will do my best when I take office on June 14, 2023, as indicated in the official letter from Mr. President,” Gbajabiamila said. Gbajabiamila's resignation is in line with Nigeria's 1999 Constitution. Chapter 8. Part 2. Section 306 (1) of the Constitution states:

"Except as otherwise provided in this Article, any person appointed, elected, or otherwise chosen to any office established by this Constitution may resign such office by writing under his hand to the authority or person by whom he was appointed, elected or selected.”

Subsection 7 states: "The resignation of a member of a legislative chamber shall be addressed to the president of the Senate or, as the case may be, to the president of the legislative chamber in question."

Following his resignation, INEC is expected to hold a by-election, which will be contested by all interested political parties. The Guardian, however, reports that while the parties await the INEC directive, there is strong interest in the post as APC members and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ) and the Labor Party (LP) are jostling for the seat.

At least three APC members have expressed an interest in stealing the party ticket in the by-election that will produce the replacement. They are the former acting chairman of Surulere local government, Agboola Dabiri; former two-term member of the Lagos State Assembly, Hon. Kabir Lawal popularly called Caesar; and the current Chairman of APC in Surulere Local Government Area, Fuad Laguda.

It was learned that a mock primary conducted among party leaders in Surulere vomited up Laguda. One of the executives who spoke to The Guardian on condition of anonymity confirmed that while Dabiri is already in Abuja, Lawal had agreed to step down to pave the way for Laguda to emerge.

“We did the mock primary and Laguda was unanimously nominated as the candidate to represent the party. We chose Laguda because he has the experience of a seasoned politician and also an accomplished civil servant But in reaction, APC spokesman in Lagos, Seye Oladejo, said that nothing was decided yet and that the party was not practicing the method of the elected candidate. /p>

“It is natural for people to show interest and realize their ambition as soon as opportunities arise. The office left by the former president is a big office and whoever comes there will have a big shoe to fill. We are looking for the right candidate who can win the election and deliver the kind of performance that has made Gbajabiamila a household name that the party and constituency are proud of.

Oladejo said the party will always follow due process in selecting a primary candidate and assured that the candidate would be someone committed to the ideals of progressive politics. He explained that it would be the party members in the constituency who would decide who gets the ticket from among those jostling for it.

“The party will ensure that the person who emerges has electoral worth and the morale to win the election. Gbajabiamila has left an indelible mark in this constituency, his works have made him...