The Kwara State House of Assembly has declared vacant the seats of two of its members, Saba Yisa Gideon (Edu Constituency) and Olusola Odetundun (Irepodun Constituency) after they left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The decision followed a formal request from APC State Chairman Prince Sunday Fagbemi. In a letter to Speaker Salihu Yakubu Danladi, Fagbemi cited Section 109 (1)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). He argued that the lawmakers, who won their seats on the APC platform, had no constitutional basis to switch parties because the APC was not divided.
House Leader Abdulkadir Oba Magaji led the debate in support of the request. He stressed that the Constitution clearly bars a member from abandoning the party under which they were elected before the end of their tenure. Magaji noted that the two lawmakers had not only defected to the PDP but were also seeking re-election on the opposition party’s platform, an action he said violated the constitutional provision.
Other members who backed the move included Abolarin Ganiyu Gabriel (Ekiti Constituency), Ganiyu Folabi Salahu (Omupo Constituency), and Oguniyi David Sheun (Ojomu/Balogun Constituency).Speaker Salihu Yakubu Danladi subsequently declared the seats vacant in line with Section 109 (1)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution.