The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approached the Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja in search of the removing of Rep. Oluwole Oke from the Home of Representatives following his current defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a swimsuit filed on Monday, the PDP requested the court docket to compel the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, to instantly declare Oke’s seat—representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State—vacant, according to Part 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Structure (as amended).
The social gathering additionally demanded that the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) be directed to conduct a bye-election to fill the vacant seat, arguing that Oke’s defection was unconstitutional because it didn’t come up from any identified division, merger, or faction inside the PDP.
Within the swimsuit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1040/2025, PDP is asking for a complete of eight reliefs and has listed 5 defendants: Rep Oke, the Speaker of the Home, the Clerk of the Nationwide Meeting, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, and INEC.
The social gathering is additional in search of an order mandating the Clerk of the Nationwide Meeting to instantly halt the cost of all salaries, allowances, and entitlements to Oke, and to compel the lawmaker to refund all advantages acquired from the date of his resignation from the PDP to the date of judgment.
In response to the originating summons filed by PDP’s counsel, Raphael Oyewole, the swimsuit raises seven constitutional questions for willpower. Amongst them is whether or not, by advantage of Part 68(1)(g) of the Structure, a lawmaker who defects from the social gathering underneath which he was elected—with none justifiable authorized trigger—ought to not mechanically forfeit his legislative seat.
The social gathering contends that Oke’s continued keep within the Nationwide Meeting as a member of the APC quantities to a violation of constitutional provisions governing political defections.
Oke, a six-term lawmaker, had introduced his resignation from the PDP in a letter dated April 16, 2025, addressed to the social gathering chairman in Ward 7, Obokun Native Authorities Space of Osun State. He additionally copied the PDP nationwide and state management, citing consultations along with his political allies, associates, and household as the premise for his resolution.
The matter is but to be assigned to a decide.
