The Kwara State House of Assembly has removed two lawmakers who recently switched from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The lawmakers, Hon. Saba Yisa Gideon and Hon. Olusola Odetundun, had left the APC to run for re-election with the PDP in 2027. During a meeting, the APC's state chairman sent a letter to the assembly, stating that the lawmakers should lose their seats because they were elected under the APC and had no right to join another party without a division in the APC. The assembly agreed and declared their seats vacant, citing a section of the Nigerian Constitution that prohibits lawmakers from changing parties during their term. The PDP criticized this decision, calling it illegal and a form of political persecution. They argued that removing the lawmakers would prevent their constituents from having proper representation and warned that it was an attempt to misuse legislative power for political gain. The PDP acknowledged that while the assembly has the right to manage its affairs, it should do so fairly and within democratic principles.
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