The Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked Abubakar Gummi, the lawmaker representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, over his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Delivering judgment, Justice Obiora Egwuatu held that Gummi’s continued stay in the House of Representatives after abandoning the party that sponsored his election was unconstitutional.
The court, therefore, ordered Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, to stop recognising Gummi as a member of the House and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election to fill the vacant seat within 30 days.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1803/2024, was instituted by the PDP and its Zamfara State chairman, Jamilu Jibomagayaki, through their counsel, Ibrahim Bawa (SAN). They argued that, in line with Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, Gummi automatically lost his seat upon defecting to another party in the absence of any division within the PDP.
Justice Egwuatu agreed with the plaintiffs and declared the defection null and void, describing it as a breach of constitutional provisions. He also awarded a cost of ₦500,000 against the defendants.
The certified true copy of the judgment, delivered on Thursday, was obtained on Friday, October 31, 2025.
