Court Sacks Zamfara Rep Abubakar Gummi Over Defection

In a ruling that underscores the sanctity of Nigeria’s electoral mandate, a Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked Hon. Abubakar Suleiman Gummi, the House of Representatives member for Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency in Zamfara State. The court declared his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) unconstitutional, removing him from office and setting the stage for a fresh election.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered the judgment on October 30, 2025, ruling that Gummi violated Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution — a provision crafted to prevent capricious party-switching that undermines the voters’ choice. 

The judgment halted Gummi from functioning as a legislator, instructed the House Speaker to stop acknowledging him as a member, and tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organise a by-election within 30 days. It also ordered Gummi to return all salaries and allowances drawn from October 30, 2024, to the judgment date, alongside a fine of N500,000 payable to the PDP.

The legal battle began with PDP leaders in Zamfara State filing a suit, emphasising that no internal party schism justified Gummi’s defection. Gummi’s defence cited internal crises compelling his jump to the APC, but the court dismissed this as insufficient.