Kwara Assembly Declares Seats Of Two Defected APC Lawmakers Vacant

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

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

The decision followed a request by the Kwara State Chairman of the APC, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Salihu Danladi.

Fagbemi urged the Assembly to declare the seats vacant, citing Section 109(1)(g)(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

In the letter, the APC chairman stated that the two lawmakers were elected on the platform of the party and argued that there was no division within the APC to justify their defection to the PDP.

He consequently maintained that the lawmakers had no constitutional basis to abandon the party under which they were elected and join another political party.

Leading the debate on the request, the Leader of the House, Abdulkadir Magaji, said the Constitution was clear on the issue of defection by elected lawmakers.

Magaji cited Section 109(1)(g), which provides that a member of a legislative house shall cease to be a member if elected on the platform of a political party and subsequently becomes a member of another political party, except where the law permits such defection under specified circumstances.

He said the two lawmakers had defected from the APC to the PDP and were seeking re-election on the platform of the opposition party, describing the development as contrary to the constitutional provision.

Magaji therefore supported the declaration of their seats vacant.

Other lawmakers who backed the request included Abolarin Gabriel, representing Ekiti Constituency; Ganiyu Salahu, representing Omupo Constituency; and Oguniyi Seun, representing Ojomu/Balogun Constituency.

Following the debate, the Speaker, Salihu Danladi, declared the seats of the two lawmakers vacant in accordance with the provisions of Section 109(1)(g)(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.