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Court Showdown Looms! PDP Challenges Defection Of Four Osun Lawmakers

Published August 21, 2025 at 1:54 AM

By BushRadio

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has filed four separate suits at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking the removal of four federal lawmakers from Osun State who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

hose affected include:

Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi (Osun East),
Senator Olubiyi Oluwole Fadeyi (Osun Central),
Hon. Omirin Emmanuel Olusanya (Atakumosa East/West and Ilesa East/West Federal Constituency), and
Hon. Taofeek Abimbola Ajilesoro (Ife Central/East/North and South Federal Constituency).

The cases, filed on Wednesday through PDP’s lead counsel, Raphael Oyewole, joined multiple defendants alongside the lawmakers. Senate President Godswill Akpabio was listed as the 2nd defendant in the suits against the senators, while House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas was named in those against the two House members. The National Assembly, its Clerk, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also joined as 3rd to 5th defendants.

Relying on Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the PDP argued that any lawmaker who defects from the political party that sponsored their election automatically forfeits their seat, except in cases of a division, merger, or recognized faction within that party.

The PDP stated:
“The continued stay of the four lawmakers in office, after abandoning the PDP for the APC, is unconstitutional and renders their seats vacant by operation of law.”

Among its reliefs, the party is asking the court to:

Compel the Senate President and House Speaker to declare the seats vacant.
Order INEC to conduct bye-elections in the affected districts and constituencies.
Stop payment of salaries, allowances, and entitlements to the lawmakers.
Order a refund of all earnings received from the date of their defection until judgment.

The opposition party stressed that these measures are necessary to “enforce constitutional provisions and restore order in the National Assembly.”

The suits, filed under the following numbers, are yet to be assigned to a judge: