Two Kwara lawmakers lose seats after dumping APC for PDP

The Kwara State House of Assembly has declared the seats of two lawmakers vacant after they defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The affected lawmakers are Saba Yisa Gideon, representing Edu Constituency, and Olusola Odetundun, representing Irepodun Constituency.

The decision followed a letter from the APC State Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, to the Speaker of the House, Salihu Yakubu Danladi.

In the letter, Fagbemi asked the Assembly to declare the lawmakers’ seats vacant in line with Section 109 (1g) (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

The Assembly subsequently acted on the request and declared the two seats vacant following the lawmakers’ movement to the opposition PDP.

The letter explained that since the two members were elected under the APC and there was no division within the party, they have no constitutional right to abandon the party for another.

Leading the debate on the request, the Leader of the House, Abdulkadir Oba Magaji, emphasized that the matter is constitutional, as outlined in Section 109 (1g) of the Constitution, which stipulates that a member shall not leave for another party other than the one on which platform he was elected, as long as his tenure has not yet expired.

Magaji noted that the two concerned members have left the APC for the PDP and are seeking re-election to their seats in the opposition party, a development that contravene the Constitution.

The House Leader supported the request that their seats be declared vacant in accordance with the law.

Other lawmakers who spoke in favor of the vacation include Abolarin Ganiyu Gabriel of Ekiti Constituency, Ganiyu Folabi Salahu Omupo Constituency and Oguniyi David Sheun of Ojomu/Balogun Constituency.

The Speaker of the House, Salihu Yakubu Danladi, therefore declared the seats of the two defecting members vacant in accordance with Section 109 (1) (g) (2) of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

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