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

The action followed a letter from the APC state chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, addressed to the speaker of the House, Salihu Danladi, requesting that the seats of the two defectors be declared vacant in accordance with Section 109 (1)(g)(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

In the letter, Mr Fagbemi said the two lawmakers were elected on the platform of the APC and that no division within the party warranted their defection.

He therefore contended that the two lawmakers had no constitutional right to abandon the party and decamp to another political party.

Leading the debate on the request, the leader of the House, Abdulkadir Magaji, said the Constitution clearly provided for the matter under Section 109(1)(g).

Mr Magaji said the provision stipulated that a member of a legislative house could not defect from the political party that sponsored him to another party, except under circumstances recognised by the Constitution.

He noted that the two lawmakers had defected from the APC to the PDP and were seeking re-election in their respective constituencies on the opposition party’s platform.

According to him, the development contravenes the provisions of the Constitution.

Mr Magaji therefore supported the request for the seats of the two lawmakers to be declared vacant in accordance with the law.

Other lawmakers who spoke in support of the motion included Abolarin Gabriel of Ekiti Constituency, Ganiyu Salahu of Omupo Constituency and Oguniyi Seun of Ojomu/Balogun Constituency.

The speaker subsequently declared the seats of the two lawmakers vacant in accordance with Section 109(1)(g)(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

(NAN)