By Uthman Oriyomi
The Kwara State House of Assembly has declared the seats representing Edu and Irepodun constituencies vacant following the defection of Hon. Saaba Issa Gedeon and Hon. Olusola Odetundun from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Just Event Online TV reports that The decision followed a letter from the Kwara State APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, addressed to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, requesting 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 platform of the APC and that there was no division within the party to justify their defection to another political party.
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Leading the debate on the request, the Leader of the House, Hon. Oba Mogaji, said the issue was constitutional, citing Section 109(1)(g), which provides circumstances under which a member of a State House of Assembly may lose his seat upon defecting from the political party on whose platform he was elected.
Mogaji noted that the two lawmakers had left the APC for the PDP and were seeking re-election to their respective seats on the platform of the opposition party, describing the development as contrary to the constitutional provision cited before the House.
He consequently supported the request for the seats to be declared vacant.
Other lawmakers who spoke in support of the motion included Hon. Abolarin Ganiyu Gabriel of Ekiti Constituency, Hon. Ganiyu Folabi of Omupo Constituency and Hon. Adato Oguniyi of Ojomu/Balogun Constituency.
Following the debate, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, declared the seats representing Edu and Irepodun constituencies vacant, in line with the resolution of the House.
