The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to demand the removal of four Osun State lawmakers who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The lawmakers targeted include Senators Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi (Osun East) and Olubiyi Oluwole Fadeyi (Osun Central), along with House members Omirin Emmanuel Olusanya (Atakumosa East/West and Ilesa East/West) and Taofeek Abimbola Ajilesoro (Ife Central/East/North and South).
Filed on Wednesday, August 20, by the party’s lead counsel, Raphael Oyewole, the suits name the lawmakers as first defendants.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas are listed as second defendants in the respective cases, while the National Assembly, its Clerk, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are included as third to fifth defendants.
The PDP contends that the lawmakers violated Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which states that legislators who leave the party under which they were elected, without a merger, faction, or division within the party, automatically forfeit their seats.
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“It is clear that these lawmakers no longer meet the constitutional requirements to hold office. Their continued occupation of these seats constitutes a breach of the Constitution,” the party argued.
The party is asking the court to direct Akpabio and Abbas to formally declare the seats vacant and instruct INEC to organise by-elections in the affected districts and constituencies.
They also want the Clerk of the National Assembly to suspend all salaries, allowances, and benefits to the lawmakers, and to recover all payments received since their defection.
The originating summons are recorded as FHC/ABJ/CS/1725/2025, FHC/ABJ/CS/1728/2025, FHC/ABJ/CS/1727/2025, and FHC/ABJ/CS/1726/2025. The cases, filed on August 20, have not yet been assigned to a judge.
Earlier, the PDP had initiated legal action against Rep. Oluwole Oke of Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency over his defection.
The party emphasised that it would continue enforcing Section 68(1)(g), which restricts lawmakers from leaving the party under which they were elected except under clearly specified conditions.