The Kwara State House of Assembly has declared the seats of two of its members, Saaba Issa Gideon and Olusola Odetundun, vacant following their defection from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party.
The lawmakers represent Edu and Irepodun State constituencies, respectively.
The decision was taken during plenary on Tuesday after the state APC Chairman, Sunday Fagbemi, wrote the Assembly, asking it to invoke Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution against the defecting lawmakers.
Fagbemi, in the letter addressed to the Speaker, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, argued that Gideon and Odetundun were elected on the APC platform and could not retain their seats after abandoning the party for the PDP.
The APC chairman maintained that the lawmakers’ defection did not fall within the constitutional exceptions that allow an elected legislator to change political parties without losing his seat.
