The Court of Appeal in Abuja has set aside the October 30, 2025 judgment of the Federal High Court, which sacked a member of the House of Representatives, Abubakar Suleiman Gummi.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday, a three-member panel of the appellate court held that the lower court erred in declaring Gummi’s seat vacant over his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, had earlier ruled that Gummi lost his seat in the House of Representatives after leaving the PDP, the party under which he was elected, to join the APC.
Gummi represents the Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State in the House of Representatives.
The lawmaker had justified his decision to defect by citing the leadership crisis within the PDP, particularly at the national level.
According to him, the situation made it difficult for him to effectively represent his constituents and ensure they benefited from democratic governance.
He said the crisis in the party created conditions that hindered him from performing his duties without interference.
Delivering the judgment of the appellate court, Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi held that Gummi had the right to leave the party in view of the widely known crisis within the PDP.
The judge said the appellant had an inherent right to abandon his party under such circumstances.
Justice Oyewumi upheld the reasons presented by the lawmaker for defecting from the PDP to the APC.
She further held that a political office holder has the right to seek a more stable platform if the existing party structure becomes threatened.
The appellate court consequently allowed the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1606/2025 and set aside the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1803/2024, which was filed by the PDP and the Zamfara State Chairman of the party, Jamilu Jibomagayaki.
Justice Oyewumi also awarded a cost of N1m against the PDP and Jibomagayaki in favour of Gummi.
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