The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to sack four lawmakers from Osun State over their recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The affected lawmakers include two senators and two members of the House of Representatives: Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi (Osun East), Senator Olubiyi Oluwole Fadeyi (Osun Central), Omirin Emmanuel Olusanya (Atakumosa East/West and Ilesa East/West Federal Constituency), and Taofeek Abimbola Ajilesoro (Ife Central/East/North/South Federal Constituency).
In four separate suits filed on Wednesday, PDP’s lead counsel, Raphael Oyewole, listed the lawmakers as first defendants. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, was joined as second defendant in the cases involving the senators, while the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, was named second defendant in the cases involving the House members. The National Assembly, its Clerk, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also joined as defendants.
The PDP is relying on Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which stipulates that any lawmaker who defects from the political party on whose platform they were elected—without a division, merger, or faction within that party—must lose their seat.
The party argued that the continued stay of the four lawmakers in office amounts to a breach of the Constitution. It is therefore asking the court to declare their seats vacant, order Akpabio and Abbas to formally announce the vacancies, and direct INEC to conduct fresh elections in the affected districts and constituencies.
Beyond removal, the PDP is also seeking a refund of all salaries, allowances, and benefits the lawmakers received since defecting, as well as an order stopping any further payments to them.
The cases, filed under suit numbers FHC/ABJ/CS/1725/2025, FHC/ABJ/CS/1728/2025, FHC/ABJ/CS/1727/2025, and FHC/ABJ/CS/1726/2025, are yet to be assigned to a judge.
This move comes just weeks after the Osun PDP dragged another lawmaker, Rep. Oluwole Oke (Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency), to court over a similar defection.
The party insists it will continue to enforce Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution to protect its mandate and curb what it describes as “unlawful political cross-carpeting.”