Political prostitution’: Court sacks Zamfara rep for defecting to APC, orders refund of salaries
The Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked Abubakar Suleiman Gummi, the lawmaker representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency in Zamfara State, from the House of Representatives.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu held that Gummi must forfeit his seat after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party under which he was elected, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The court agreed with the plaintiffs, the PDP and its Zamfara chairman, that Gummi’s defection violated Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, as there was no division in the PDP to justify the move.
“Politicians must respect the wishes of the electorate who elected them into office … it is legally and morally wrong for such a politician to abandon the party under which platform he or she was elected … and move to a rival party without relinquishing the mandate,” Justice Egwuatu stated.
The judge described the act of defection as “political prostitution” and ruled that it “should not be rewarded.”
The court ordered the Speaker of the House of Representatives to cease recognizing Gummi as the constituency’s representative and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh by-election within 30 days.
In addition, Gummi was ordered to refund all salaries and allowances he received from the date of his defection, October 30, 2024, to the date of the judgment. A fine of N500,000 was also imposed in favor of the plaintiffs.
