The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called upon the Federal High Court in Abuja to mandate the removal of Rep Oluwole Oke from his position as the lawmaker for the Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun due to his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a new lawsuit filed on Monday by its lead counsel, Raphael Oyewole, the PDP requested the court to issue an order of mandamus that would compel the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to immediately declare Oke’s seat as vacant.
The PDP asserted that this action would be in strict adherence to Section 68(1)(g) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), since Oke defected without any verifiable division, merger, or faction within the political party.
Furthermore, the PDP urged the court to instruct Abbas and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities as stipulated by law by declaring the seat vacant and commencing the necessary procedures for conducting a bye-election to fill the vacant position in the constituency.
The party also sought an order that would require the Clerk of the National Assembly (NASS) to revoke all entitlements and halt the payment of salaries, allowances, and benefits to Oke.
Additionally, it requested an order mandating the troubled lawmaker to reimburse all salaries, emoluments, benefits, and allowances received from the date of his resignation from the PDP until the date of judgment, as he has unlawfully retained a legislative seat in contravention of Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.
Naija News understands that the plaintiff (PDP) had, in the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1040/2025, sued Oke, House Speaker, Clerk of NASS, Tajudeen Abbas and INEC and 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
The party sought seven questions for determination and eight reliefs.
One of the questions is “whether by virtue of Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), a member of the House of Representatives, such as the 1st defendant is not liable to forfeit his legislative seat, for resigning his membership of the plaintiff’s political party upon whose platform he was elected, to join another political party, in the absence of a division, merger or faction in the plaintiff political party.”
The matter is yet to be assigned to a judge.
Oke, a six-term legislator representing the Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun, stated that his choice to depart from the PDP was made after discussions with his political colleagues, friends, and family members.
In his resignation letter, which is dated April 16 and directed to the PDP chairman in Ward 7 of the Obokun Local Government Area of Osun, Oke also sent copies to the national and state chairpersons of the party.
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