The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday urged the Federal High Court, Abuja, to order the removal of four members of the National Assembly for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP made the call in four separate suits dated August 20 and filed by its counsel, Rapheal Oyewole.
The lawmakers include two senators and two members of the House of Representatives from Osun State.
They are Senator Francis Fadahunsi representing Osun East Senatorial District; Senator Olubiyi Oluwole Fadeyi for Osun Central Senatorial District, Omirin Olusanya, who represents Atakumosa East/West and Ilesa East/West Federal Constituency, and Taofeek Ajilesoro representing Ife Central/East/North and South Federal Constituency.
The party, in the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1725/2025, FHC/ABJ/CS/1728/2025, FHC/ABJ/CS/1727/2025, and FHC/ABJ/CS/1726/2025, listed Fadahunsi, Fadeyi, Olusanya, and Ajilesoro, respectively, as the 1st defendant in each of the cases.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, the National Assembly, Clerk of NASS, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also listed as respondents in the suits.
The PDP, which sought six questions for determination, asked whether, by Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution 1999 (as amended), a senator or House member, such as the lawmakers, are not liable to forfeit their legislative seat after resigning the membership of the party on whose platform they were elected.
The party, therefore, prayed the court to declare that the continued occupation of the legislative seats by the four lawmakers after defecting from the party on whose platform they were elected, without satisfying the express provision under Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, constitutes a breach of the constitution and renders their seats vacant by operation of law.
It also prayed the court to make an order of mandamus compelling Akpabio and Abbas to immediately declare their seats vacant.