The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, requesting the removal of four National Assembly members representing Osun State, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The legal action was initiated through four separate suits filed on August 20 by the party’s legal representative, Rapheal Oyewole.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the lawmakers involved in the case are two senators and two members of the House of Representatives. They include Senator Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East), Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi (Osun Central), Representative Omirin Olusanya (Atakumosa East/West and Ilesa East/West), and Representative Taofeek Ajilesoro (Ife Central/East/North/South).
Each of the lawmakers was individually named as the first defendant in the suits with case numbers: FHC/ABJ/CS/1725/2025, FHC/ABJ/CS/1728/2025, FHC/ABJ/CS/1727/2025, and FHC/ABJ/CS/1726/2025.
In addition to the lawmakers, the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives were listed as the second defendants in the respective suits. The National Assembly, its Clerk, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were joined as the third, fourth, and fifth defendants.
The PDP is asking the court to determine whether, based on Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), lawmakers who were elected under its platform and later defected—without any party division, merger, or faction—are not automatically disqualified from retaining their legislative seats.
As part of its demands, the PDP wants the court to declare that the continued tenure of the four legislators, despite their defection, contravenes the constitution. The party is urging the court to declare their seats vacant and direct the Senate President and the House Speaker to formally announce the vacancies.
Furthermore, the party is asking the court to order the relevant authorities—Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and INEC—to carry out their constitutional responsibilities by declaring the seats vacant and conducting bye-elections to fill them.
The suits also seek a directive for the Clerk of the National Assembly to cease all salary and allowance payments to the lawmakers in question and to order them to refund all earnings received from the date of their defection up to the time of the court’s judgment.
According to the PDP, this legal move is consistent with the provisions outlined in Sections 68(1)(g) and 68(2) of the 1999 Constitution.
As of the time of this report, the cases have not yet been assigned to any judge.
In a related development, the Osun State chapter of the PDP recently filed a similar suit against Representative Oluwole Oke, who represents Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, following his defection to the APC. The state party continues to rely on constitutional grounds to challenge defections among its elected lawmakers.