The Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked Hon. Abubakar Gummi from the House of Representatives for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered the judgment on Thursday, October 30, 2025, declaring that Gummi, who represents Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, could no longer occupy the seat after leaving the party that sponsored his election.
The court ruled that Gummi’s defection breached Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which stipulates that an elected lawmaker must vacate his seat if he joins another political party without a division in his original party.
Justice Egwuatu consequently declared the seat vacant and restrained the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, from further recognising Gummi as a member representing the constituency.
The judge also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election in the constituency within 30 days.
Although the ruling was delivered on Thursday, the certified true copy of the judgment was obtained on Friday, October 31, 2025, according to court records sighted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1803/2024, was filed by the PDP and its Zamfara State Chairman, Jamilu Jibomagayaki, who were listed as first and second plaintiffs.
The action, dated November 28 and filed on November 29, 2024, was instituted through their counsel, Ibrahim Bawa, SAN.
Joined as defendants were Hon. Abubakar Suleiman Gummi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and INEC, listed as first to third defendants respectively.
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The plaintiffs raised four constitutional questions and sought nine reliefs, including whether Gummi’s continued stay in office after defecting to the APC, despite the absence of any division in the PDP, was not in breach of the Constitution.
In his verdict, Justice Egwuatu agreed with the plaintiffs and held that the mandate belonged to the political party, not the individual.
He ordered Gummi to refund all salaries, allowances and other benefits received from October 30, 2024, when he defected, up to the date of the judgment.
The judge also cautioned politicians against abusing the trust of voters through opportunistic defections, warning that such practices weaken public confidence in democratic governance.