PDP Drags Four Osun Lawmakers To Court Over Defection

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has filed four separate suits before the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking the removal of four federal lawmakers from Osun State who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The affected legislators are Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi (Osun East), Senator Olubiyi Oluwole Fadeyi (Osun Central), Hon. Omirin Emmanuel Olusanya (Atakumosa East/West and Ilesa East/West Federal Constituency), and Hon. Taofeek Abimbola Ajilesoro (Ife Central/East/North and South Federal Constituency).

In the suits filed on Wednesday by PDP’s lead counsel, Raphael Oyewole, the party joined several other defendants alongside the lawmakers.

While the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, was listed as the 2nd defendant in the cases involving the senators, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, was named in those against the two House members.

The National Assembly, the Clerk of the National Assembly, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were all cited as 3rd to 5th defendants in the four cases.

Naija News reports that the PDP, relying on Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), argued that lawmakers who defect from the political party under which they were elected automatically lose their seats unless there is evidence of a division, merger, or recognised faction within that party.

“The continued stay of the four lawmakers in office, after abandoning the PDP for the APC, violates the Constitution and renders their seats vacant by operation of law,” the party submitted.

Among the reliefs sought, the PDP is asking the court for:

• An order of mandamus compelling the Senate President and the Speaker of the House to declare the seats vacant.
• A directive to INEC to conduct bye-elections in the affected constituencies and senatorial districts.
• An order stopping payment of salaries, allowances, and other entitlements to the lawmakers.
• A refund of all earnings received by the lawmakers from the date of their defection until judgment is delivered.

The opposition party stressed that granting its requests would “enforce constitutional provisions and restore order in the National Assembly.”

The originating summons was filed under suit numbers:

• FHC/ABJ/CS/1725/2025 – against Senator Francis Fadahunsi,
• FHC/ABJ/CS/1728/2025 – against Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi,
• FHC/ABJ/CS/1727/2025 – against Hon. Omirin Olusanya,
• FHC/ABJ/CS/1726/2025 – against Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro.

However, the matter is yet to be assigned to a judge for hearing, Naija News understands.