Dogara speaks on declaring Gumau, Baba-Kaita’s seats vacant in Reps

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, says he is not in a hurry to declare the seats of Lawan Gumau (APC, Bauchi) and Ahmad Baba-Kaita (APC, Katsina) vacant.

The duo were sworn into the Senate on Wednesday by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki as Senators to fill the vacant seats of Senators Ali Wakili and Mustaphar Bukar, who died in March 2018.

However, during plenary at the House of Representative same day, Dogara read letter from Baba-Kaita intimating his colleagues at the green chamber that he had switched to the Senate.

Afterwards, Dogara said the leadership of the House would take its time before declaring their seats vacant

He said: “Both Ahmad Baba-Kaita and Lawan Gumau were members of this House but now Senators for Katsina North and Bauchi South respectively.

“Even though the House has been communicated, I am not in a hurry to declare their seats vacant.”

Meanwhile, the Clerk of the House of Representatives had at the opening of Wednesday’s plenary, sworn in Haruna Isah (APC, Kogi) as new member representing Lokoja/Kogi Federal Constituency of Kogi State.

Isah, who took both the oaths of office and allegiance, is of the APC, and was elected to fill the vacancy created with the demise of Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Buba Jibril.