Defection: Plateau Speaker Declares Predecessor’s Seat Vacant

Seriki Adinoyi

Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon Yakubu Sanda, has declared the seat of his predecessor, Hon Auba Abok, vacant for defecting from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The former Speaker, representing Jos East constituency in the state Assembly, after the travail of his impeachment in which he was ousted by six out of the 24 members of the Assembly, had continued to have frosty relationship with the APC in the state, leading to his eventual defection to the PDP on March 18, 2022.

Abok’s media assistant, Mr. Samuel Kaze, had announced in a statement that his principal had officially tendered his resignation letter to the APC and defected to the PDP.

Consequently, the state chapter of APC wrote to the Assembly, urging the Speaker to declare Abok’s seat vacant, having defected contrary to section 109(1) of the Nigeria Constitution.

Taking the decision yesterday (Tuesday) during a plenary at a temporary chamber at old Government House, Jos, Sanda said the decision was predicated on a letter from the APC,seeking the declaration of Abok’s seat as vacant, having abandoned the political party that sponsored him to power, “I, therefore, declare the seat of Rt. Hon. Abok vacant.”

Similarly, the assembly also declared the seat of the member representing Rukuba/Irigwe constituency, Musa Agah, of the PDP vacant following his victory at the Jos North/Bassa Federal constituency bye election held in February, 2022.