The Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned a Federal High Court ruling of October 30, 2025, which had removed Abubakar Suleiman Gummi as the representative for Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency, Zamfara State, in the House of Representatives.
On Friday, March 13, 2026, a three-judge panel delivered a unanimous ruling in favour of Gummi, declaring that the lower court erred in vacating his seat solely because he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In her lead judgment, Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi said Gummi had the legal right to leave his former party amid internal leadership disputes.
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She noted that lawmakers are entitled to join another party if their original party is unstable or unable to function properly.
The appeal, recorded as CA/ABJ/CV/1606/2025, challenged the Federal High Court’s ruling in FHC/ABJ/CS/1803/2024, which had removed Gummi following a suit by the PDP.
The lower court had ruled that his defection automatically forfeited his mandate, barred the Speaker of the House and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising him, and ordered a fresh election.
With the Appeal Court’s decision, Gummi’s position in the House of Representatives is now formally restored, pending any further legal challenge.