The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday, set aside the Oct. 30, 2025, judgment by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja sacking Abubakar Gummi from the House of Representatives.
In a unanimous judgment a three-member panel of the appellate court held that the trial court was wrong to have declared Gummi’s seat vacant on the grounds that he defected from the People’s Democratic Party, on which platform he contested election, to the All-Progressives Congress.
Gummi, representing the Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara in the House of Representatives had defected from the PDP to the APC, citing several reasons, including the leadership crisis in the party, particularly at the national level.
Delivering Court of Appeal’s judgment Justice Oyebiola Adewumi, who read the judgment held among others, that the appellant, Gummi, has an inherent right, in the face of the notorious fact of the current situation in the PDP, to abandon the party.
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Justice Adewumi upheld the reasons given by Gummi in support of his decision to decamp from the PDP.
The Court further held that a party member has the right to seek for a better platform to contest election if his or her present platform is threatened.
The Court proceeded to allow the appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CV/1606/2025.
It further set aside the judgment of the trial delivered on Oct. 30, 2025, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1803/2024 filed by the PDP and the Zamfara State’s Chairman of the party Jamilu Jibomagayaki.
The Court awarded a cost of N1million against the PDP and Jibo Magayaki in favour of Gummi.
Gummi said the crisis in the party caused a situation where he could no longer represent his constituents or ensure that they all benefited from the shared distribution of democracy’s dividends within the bounds of law, without undue interference from anyone or anything
The People’s Democratic Party in Ondo State says the party, despite its myriads of challenges, remains strong opposition that will keep the ruling party on its toes.
The state Chairman of PDP, Mr Dupe Aisida, stated this on Friday while disregarding the rumoured dissolution of the state executive committee.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a statement credited to the factional National Organizing Secretary of the party, Umaru Bature, dissolved the state executive committee and constituted a caretaker committee.
Aisida stated that PDP, though enmeshed in challenges, was formidable and would soon overcome its setbacks and bounce to its winning speed across the country.
He said some pockets of elections held across the country have shown that PDP was a party that would not die.
On the purported dissolution of the state executive committee of the party, Aisida described such statement as a mere figment of illegality.
“The attention of the Ondo State Chapter of the PDP has been drawn to a statement circulating in some quarters claiming that the National Caretaker Working Committee has dissolved the Ondo State Executive Committee of the party.
“The state executive committee clearly, unequivocally, and without any ambiguity wish to state that the Ondo State Executive Committee remains intact, duly constituted, and fully operational.
“The said publication did not emanate from any properly communicated channel to the Ondo State leadership of the party, nor was there any formal notification served on the state executive committee through the constitutionally recognised channels of the party,” he stated.
According to him, the statement is premature, misleading and capable of creating unnecessary confusion among party members and the general public.
The chairman said that the PDP leadership in the state remained committed to the unity, stability and continued growth of the party.
He urged PDP members across the 18 local government areas in the state to remain calm, focused and steadfast in their loyalty and allegiance to the party.
“We also advise members of the public and the media to disregard any interpretation or speculation capable of undermining the peace and cohesion of the party in the state.
“The Ondo State chapter of the PDP remains united, strong, and committed to providing credible leadership and a viable alternative for the good people of Ondo State,” he said.
NAN
