The Kwara State House of Assembly has declared the seats of two lawmakers, Hon. Saaba Issa Gedeon of Edu Constituency and Hon. Olusola Odetundun of Irepodun Constituency, vacant following their defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The decision was taken during plenary on Tuesday following a request by the state APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, in a letter addressed to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi.
Fagbemi urged the assembly to declare the seats vacant in line with Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.
He argued that the lawmakers were elected on the platform of the APC and that there was no division within the party to justify their defection.
Leading the debate on the matter, the Leader of the House, Hon. Oba Mogaji, said the issue was constitutional and should be treated in accordance with the provisions of the law.
He said Section 109(1)(g) provides that a member of a State House of Assembly shall vacate his seat if he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of his tenure, except under circumstances recognised by the Constitution.
Mogaji noted that the two lawmakers had defected from the APC to the PDP and were seeking to retain their constituencies under the opposition party, describing the development as a violation of the constitutional provision.
He therefore supported the APC chairman’s request for the seats to be declared vacant.
Contributing to the debate, Hon. Abolarin Ganiyu Gabriel of Ekiti Constituency, Hon. Ganiyu Folabi of Omupo Constituency and Hon. Adato Oguniyi of Ojomu/Balogun Constituency also backed the declaration of the seats as vacant.
Following the contributions, Speaker Salihu Yakubu Danladi declared the seats of Gedeon and Odetundun vacant, in line with the resolution of the House.
The declaration sets the stage for further constitutional and political processes concerning the representation of the two constituencies.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
