The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on its former lawmakers in the House of Representatives and the Kaduna State House of Assembly to vacate their seats following their defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The lawmakers, primarily from Southern Kaduna, were among 50 politicians who officially joined the APC on Saturday. Governor Uba Sani received them at a stakeholders’ meeting in Murtala Square, Kaduna, alongside former Governor Ramalan Yero and former Senator Danjuma La’ah.
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 emphasized that while the Nigerian Constitution grants freedom of association, elected lawmakers who switch parties must relinquish their seats unless their original party is experiencing internal division.
“According to Sections 68(1)(g) and 109 of the Constitution, serving legislators who defect to another party must vacate their seats,” Dogo stated.
The PDP urged the Speakers of 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 tickets for the 2026 elections after failing in the PDP’s zoning arrangements or losing in the 2022 primaries.
Dogo further accused the APC-led government of misplacing priorities, criticizing Governor Sani’s administration for organizing elaborate receptions for defectors instead of addressing governance issues.
“Our people are yearning for a return to the PDP years when the economy thrived and citizens could afford their basic needs. Therefore, no amount of defections can save the APC-led government from its imminent exit in 2027,” she stated.
Despite the setback, the PDP reaffirmed its strength and commitment to democracy, assuring its supporters that it remains the preferred choice of Kaduna residents.
The party, under the leadership of its state chairman, Edward Masha, vowed to take all necessary legal and constitutional steps to reclaim its mandates.
