The Kwara State House of Assembly has declared the seats of Hon. Saaba Issa Gedeon of Edu Constituency and Hon. Olusola Odetundun of Irepodun Constituency vacant following their defection from the ruling APC to the PDP.
This development followed a letter from the APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, addressed to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, requesting the vacation of the seats in accordance with Section 109 (1G) of the 1999 Constitution.
The letter stated 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, Hon. Oba Mogaji, emphasized that the matter is constitutional, as outlined in Section 109 (1G) of the Constitution, which stipulates that a member shall not belong to another party than the one that brought him to power, as long as his tenure has not yet expired.
He noted that they have left the APC for the PDP and are seeking reelection for their seats in the opposition party, a development that contravenes the Constitution.
The Leader supported the request that their seats be declared vacant in accordance with the law.
Other lawmakers who spoke in favor of the vacation included Hon. Abolarin Ganiyu Gabriel of Ekiti Constituency, Hon. Ganiyu Folabi of Omupo Constituency, and Hon. Adato Oguniyi of Ojomu/Balogun Constituency.
The Speaker of the House, Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, therefore declared the seats of the two defecting members vacant as resolved by the House.
