The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday reinstated the lawmaker representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State in the House of Representatives, Abubakar Suleiman Gummi, after setting aside the October 30, 2025 judgment of the Federal High Court which had earlier sacked him from office.
In a unanimous judgment, a three-member panel of the appellate court held that the trial court presided over by Obiora Egwuatu was wrong to have declared Gummi’s seat vacant because he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the platform on which he was elected, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Gummi had defected to the APC, citing a leadership crisis within the PDP, particularly at the national level, which he said made it difficult for him to effectively represent his constituents.
According to him, the crisis created a situation where he could no longer properly advance the interests of the people of his constituency or ensure that they benefited from the dividends of democracy without undue interference.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi held that the appellant had an inherent right to abandon his party in view of what she described as the “notorious” crisis currently rocking the PDP.
Justice Oyewumi further held that a party member is entitled to seek a better political platform if the existing one becomes unstable or threatens the effective discharge of his mandate.
The appellate court consequently allowed the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1606/2025 and set aside the judgment delivered on October 30, 2025, by the Federal High Court in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1803/2024.
The suit had been filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and the Zamfara State chairman of the party, Jamilu Jibomagayaki.
The court also awarded a cost of N1 million against the PDP and Jibomagayaki in favour of Gummi.
