By: Agande Richard Aondofa | Edited by: Henry Owen | 📰 Stone Reporter News
The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has removed Rep. Abubakar Gummi from office for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Gummi represents the Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State in the House of Representatives.
Delivering judgment, Justice Obiora Egwuatu restrained the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, from recognising Gummi as the member representing the constituency. The judge also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election to fill the seat within 30 days.
The case, filed by the PDP and its state chairman, Jamilu Jibomagayaki, challenged Gummi’s retention of his seat after defecting to APC despite no internal division within PDP. Gummi, through his lawyer, argued that his defection was prompted by unresolved crises within PDP, claiming it prevented him from adequately serving his constituents.
Justice Egwuatu dismissed these arguments, stating it is “legally and morally wrong” for an elected politician to abandon the party under whose platform they won office. He emphasized that votes belong to the political party, not the individual, and that Section 68 (1)(g) of the Constitution penalizes such defections.
The court ordered Gummi to refund all salaries and allowances received from October 30, 2024, until the judgment date and restrained him from further receiving any parliamentary entitlements. Additionally, the judge imposed a N500,000 fine in favour of the plaintiffs.
Justice Egwuatu condemned the normalization of political defection, calling it “political prostitution” that must not be rewarded, and affirmed that Gummi’s seat is now vacant.
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