Date: 2014-04-02

Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has enjoined defecting senators to remain steadfast to their course after recent ruling by the Federal High Court, Abuja, which held that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lacks power to declare seats of defecting senators from the ruling party to APC vacant.

Bukola Saraki, representing Kwara Central in the Senate and 10 other senators defected from PDP.

Speaking to newsmen in Ilorin today, Interim Publicity Secretary of APC in Kawara State, Sulyman Buhari, said that the judgment will further strengthen the APC senators ahead of the 2015 election.

"They should be steadfast and unshakable as we move towards the decisive date," said the party spokesman.

"We hail the ruling delivered by Justice A.R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja last Friday. The ruling states clearly that PDP and its party chairman has no such authority to declare the seats of defected lawmakers vacant. The position of the law is clear, only the Court has such powers to declare seats vacant," he added.

In the court suit, the plaintiffs, prayed the court for an order restraining the defendants from declaring their seats vacant following their defection.

Ruling on the matter, Justice Ahmed Mohammed of a Federal High Court in Abuja, held that "The PDP cannot declare the lawmakers seats vacant, having submitted itself in other pending suits seeking to compel the Senate President and Speaker, House of Reps to declare the seats vacant.