The Supreme Court has ordered a member representing Akure South/North Federal Constituency in the House of Representative, Ifedayo Abegunde to vacate his seat on account of his defection from the defunct Labour Party to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Abegunde was elected into office in 2011.
Ruling on Friday, the seven-man panel led by the Chief Justices of Nigeria, Mahmud Mohammad held that Abegunde's defection couldn't be justified since his excuse of "division" in the defunct Labour Party was not in existence at the party's national structure.
Mohammad added that such division and factionalization cited by the defendant as the excuse for dumping the party only existed at the state level.
Abegunde had jumped from the LP to former Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) party that has now metamorphosized to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Abgunde earlier lost the case at the Federal High Court, and subsequently proceed to the Court of Appeal, where he also before he headed to the Supreme Court.
Abegunde could not be reached for his comment on the latest ruling.