BY AHMED AKANBI
The Kwara State House of Assembly has declared the seats of Edu and Irepodun Constituencies vacant following the defection of the two All Progressives Congress, APC lawmakers to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The affected lawmakers are Hon. Saaba Issa Gideon of Edu Constituency and Hon. Olusola Odetundun of Irepodun Constituency.
The decision followed a letter from the Kwara APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi.
Fagbemi asked that the seats be declared vacant in accordance with Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.
The party argued that the two lawmakers were elected on the APC platform and that there was no division within the party to justify their defection.
Leading the debate, House Leader, Hon. Oba Mogaji said the matter was constitutional.
He cited Section 109(1)(g), which states the circumstances under which a member of a State Assembly loses his seat upon defecting from the party on whose platform he was elected.
Mogaji noted that the two lawmakers had left APC for PDP and were seeking re-election on the opposition party’s platform.
He described the move as contrary to the constitutional provision and supported the request for the seats to be declared vacant.
Other lawmakers who spoke in support included Hon. Abolarin Ganiyu Gabriel of Ekiti Constituency, Hon. Ganiyu Folabi of Omupo and Hon. Adato Oguniyi of Ojomu/Balogun Constituency.
After the debate, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, declared the Edu and Irepodun seats vacant in line with the resolution of the House.
The development means by-elections will be conducted in the two constituencies ahead of 2027.