House of Federation Speaker Resigns, Citing 'Unconstitutional Measures'

Keria Ibrahim, speaker of the House of Federation, resigned from her position today, May 8, 2020, attributing her decision to what she described as "unconstitutional measures" taken at the federal level.

Keria, who gave a press conference today in Meqelle, the seat of Tigray Regional State, told Fortune that the administration's measures to postpone national elections currently underway triggered her in tendering the resignation. She has been Speaker of the House since April 20, 2018.

Before this post, she served as head of the Public Service Bureau in Tigray Regional Statea regional state governed by the TPLF where she was also elected a political bureau member in November 2017.

Keria's resignation came after the Central Committee of the TPLF released a statement last week denouncing the decision of the National Election Board of Ethiopia to postpone the national elections indefinitely; and, affirming its decision to hold elections at the regional level. TPLF's statement also denounced the decision made by the Parliament to refer the political deadlock for interpretation of the Constitution, by the House of Federation. The Council of Constitutional Inquiry under the House has been gathering legal opinions from experts to forward recommendations in order to help the House of Federation decide on the fate of the upcoming election.

The House of Federation is expected to hold a session this week to discuss the suggestions forwarded by the Council.

Keria's resignation has yet to arrive at the House of Federation.

"The House has yet to receive the formal resignation letter from the Speaker," Gebru Gebresellasie, public relations and communications head of the House of Federation, told Fortune.