Kwara Assembly declares two lawmakers’ seats vacant over defection

By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin

The Kwara State House of Assembly on Tuesday declared the seats of Hon. Saba Yisa Gideon of Edu Constituency and Hon. Olusola Odetundun of Irepodun Constituency vacant following their defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The decision followed a letter from the APC state Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, requesting that the lawmakers’ seats be declared vacant in accordance with Section 109(1)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

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

Leading the debate on the request, the Leader of the house, Hon. Abdulkadir Oba Magaji, said the matter was constitutional, citing Section 109(1)(g), which provides circumstances under which a member of a legislative house may lose his seat after defecting from the political party on whose platform he was elected.

Magaji said the two lawmakers had left the APC for the PDP and were seeking re-election to their seats on the platform of the opposition party, arguing that their action contravened the constitutional provision.

He, therefore, supported the request for their seats to be declared vacant, in accordance with the law.

Other lawmakers who supported the request included Hon. Abolarin Ganiyu Gabriel of Ekiti Constituency, Hon. Ganiyu Folabi of Omupo Constituency and Hon. Oguniyi David Sheun of Ojomu/Balogun Constituency.

Reacting, the Speaker, Salihu Yakubu Danladi, subsequently declared the seats of the two lawmakers vacant, citing Section 109(1)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.