Kwara Assembly ‘Sacks’ APC Lawmakers Over Defection To PDP

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

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

The decision was taken during Tuesday’s plenary following a letter from the APC Chairman in Kwara State, Sunday Fagbemi, urging the Assembly to act in accordance with Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.

Fagbemi argued that the two lawmakers were elected on the platform of the APC and should therefore forfeit their seats after switching to another political party.

He further maintained that the circumstances surrounding their defection did not fall within the constitutional provisions that permit an elected legislator to change political parties without losing their seat.

Speaking during the debate, the Leader of the House, Oba Mogaji, said the Assembly was obligated to enforce the relevant constitutional provision.

According to him, Section 109(1)(g) prevents a member of a legislative house from belonging to a political party other than the one that sponsored the member into the legislature during the member’s tenure.

Mogaji noted that Gideon and Odetundun had both joined the PDP and were reportedly preparing to contest the 2027 elections under the opposition party.

He consequently backed the call for their seats to be declared vacant.

Other lawmakers, including Abolarin Gabriel of Ekiti Constituency, Ganiyu Folabi of Omupo Constituency and Adato Oguniyi of Ojomu/Balogun Constituency, also supported the decision.

Following the debate, Speaker Yakubu Danladi-Salihu formally declared the two seats vacant, stating that the action was based on the resolution of the House.

The PDP, however, rejected the decision and accused the Assembly of allowing political considerations to influence the exercise of its constitutional powers.

The opposition party, through its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara, also questioned the procedure adopted by the Assembly, particularly the decision to act on a request submitted by the state chairman of the APC.

The PDP argued that the APC chairman should not be in a position to determine the fate of elected lawmakers representing specific constituencies by simply petitioning the legislature.

“If the APC is confident of its popularity, it should face the electorate instead of attempting to remove its former members through parliamentary manoeuvring,” the party said.

Adewara added that the PDP would resist any attempt to use the legislature to intimidate or politically persecute its members.

“The PDP will not accept any attempt to use the legislature to intimidate or politically persecute its members and will deploy every lawful and constitutional means available, including judicial action, to protect the rights of Odetundun, Saba and the constituents they represent,” he said.