PDP Demands Resignation of Defected Kaduna Lawmakers, Cites Constitutional Breach
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded that former lawmakers who recently defected from the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) vacate their seats in the House of Representatives and the Kaduna State House of Assembly. The defecting lawmakers, primarily from Southern Kaduna, were among a group of 50 politicians who officially joined the APC on Saturday. They were received by Governor Uba Sani, former Governor Ramalan Yero, and former Senator Danjuma La’ah during a stakeholders’ meeting at Murtala Square, Kaduna.
In a statement issued on Sunday, PDP’s Kaduna State Publicity Secretary, Maria Dogo, condemned the defections, describing them as a betrayal of the people’s trust. She pointed out that while the Nigerian Constitution guarantees the freedom of association, elected lawmakers who switch parties must relinquish their seats unless their original party is facing internal division.
“Under Sections 68(1)(g) and 109 of the Constitution, serving legislators who defect to another party are required to vacate their seats,” Dogo stated.
The PDP called on the Speakers of both the House of Representatives and the Kaduna State House of Assembly to declare the defectors’ seats vacant and notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct bye-elections.
The party dismissed the defections as politically motivated, alleging that some defectors were merely seeking automatic re-election tickets for the 2026 elections after failing to secure positions in the PDP’s zoning arrangements or losing in the 2022 primaries.
Dogo also criticized Governor Sani’s administration for its priorities, accusing it of organizing elaborate receptions for defectors rather than addressing pressing governance issues.
“Our people are yearning for a return to the PDP years when the economy thrived, and citizens could afford their basic needs. No amount of defections can save the APC-led government from its inevitable exit in 2027,” she said.
Despite the defections, the PDP reaffirmed its strength and commitment to democracy, reassuring its supporters that the party remains the preferred choice of Kaduna residents. Under the leadership of state chairman Edward Masha, the PDP vowed to take all necessary legal and constitutional steps to reclaim its mandates.
