Kwara Assembly declares Edu, Irepodun seats vacant after lawmakers defect to PDP

The Kwara State House of Assembly has declared vacant the seats of Hon. Saba Yisa Gideon of Edu State Constituency and Hon. Olushola Odetundun of Irepodun State Constituency following their defection from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party. The decision was taken on Tuesday after the lawmakers considered a request from the APC State Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, who cited Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution and argued that the legislators defected without any division within the APC to justify their action. During the debate, the House Leader, Hon. Oba Mogaji, backed the request, noting that both lawmakers had also obtained the PDP tickets to contest the same seats in the forthcoming rerun elections.

The resolution came less than 24 hours after the PDP raised concerns over an alleged plan to remove or suspend the two lawmakers, warning that such action could leave constituents in Edu and Irepodun without representation. The party had appealed to the Speaker and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to allow the legislators to remain in office. However, after the debate, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, formally declared the two seats vacant.

Written by News Room