NEWS
Kwara Assembly Declares Two Lawmakers’ Seats Vacant After Defection From APC To PDP
The Kwara State House of Assembly has declared the seats of two lawmakers vacant following their defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), deepening the political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The affected lawmakers are Hon. Saba Yisa Gideon, representing Edu State Constituency, and Hon. Olushola Odetundun, representing Irepodun State Constituency.
The Assembly took the decision on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, after considering a request from the APC seeking the removal of the two lawmakers from their seats following their recent defection.
Gideon and Odetundun had resigned their membership of the APC days earlier and subsequently joined the PDP. Their decisions came amid growing political movements and realignments across Kwara State ahead of the 2027 elections.
Gideon reportedly pointed to concerns surrounding internal democracy, fairness and inclusiveness within the APC as reasons for his departure, while Odetundun based his decision on consultations with political stakeholders, supporters and constituents.
The political shift became more significant after both lawmakers secured PDP tickets to contest the forthcoming rerun elections in their respective constituencies.
The action followed a letter from the Kwara State APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, requesting that the lawmakers’ seats be declared vacant in accordance with Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.
The APC maintained that Gideon and Odetundun were elected on the party’s platform and argued that there was no division within the party capable of providing constitutional grounds for their defection.
During deliberations, the Leader of the House, Hon. Oba Mogaji, argued that the issue was fundamentally constitutional.
He maintained that Section 109(1)(g) restricts lawmakers from defecting from the political party under which they were elected, except in circumstances recognised by the Constitution.
Mogaji further noted that the two lawmakers had not only abandoned the APC for the PDP but had also obtained the PDP’s tickets to seek reelection into the same constituencies.
His position received support from several lawmakers, including Hon. Abolarin Ganiyu Gabriel of Ekiti Constituency, Hon. Ganiyu Folabi of Omupo Constituency and Hon. Adato Oguniyi of Ojomu/Balogun Constituency.
Following the debate and subsequent resolution of the House, the Speaker formally declared the seats representing Edu and Irepodun State Constituencies vacant.
The development comes barely a day after the Kwara State chapter of the PDP raised concerns over an alleged plan to suspend or punish the two lawmakers for leaving the APC.
The opposition party had warned that removing the lawmakers from the Assembly could deprive the people of Edu and Irepodun of effective representation.
The PDP had also characterised any punitive action against the lawmakers as political persecution and called on the Speaker and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to allow the legislators to continue carrying out their constitutional responsibilities.
With the two seats now declared vacant, the political battle in Kwara has taken another dramatic turn, with the forthcoming rerun elections in Edu and Irepodun expected to attract heightened attention as the state’s political parties reposition themselves ahead of 2027.