The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to remove Oluwole Oke from his role as the representative of Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency in Osun State after he left the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The party filed a lawsuit on Monday requesting the court to order the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to declare Oke’s seat vacant immediately.
PDP’s claim is based on the Nigerian Constitution, specifically Section 68(1)(g) and (2), which says a lawmaker must lose their seat if they change political parties without a legitimate split, merger, or faction in the original party.
The PDP insisted that Oke defected without any such division in the party and therefore no longer qualifies to hold the seat.
Besides asking the court to have the Speaker declare the seat open, PDP also wants the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to start the process for a bye-election in the constituency to replace Oke.
The party has further requested that the Clerk of the National Assembly stop all payments to Oke, including salary and allowances, and that Oke should return all payments received since he left PDP until the court makes its final ruling.
PDP argued that Oke has unlawfully held onto the seat since his defection.
The lawsuit names Oke, the Speaker of the House, the Clerk of the National Assembly, and INEC as defendants.
The PDP has presented several legal questions for the court to decide, mainly focused on whether Oke’s defection without a party split means he automatically forfeits his seat.
The case has not yet been assigned to a judge.
Oluwole Oke has served six terms as the lawmaker for Obokun/Oriade.
He said his decision to leave PDP was made after talking with friends, family, and political associates.
He formally resigned from the party in a letter dated April 16, addressed to the PDP ward chairman in Obokun Local Government Area, with copies sent to the party’s national and state leaders.
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