The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday overturned a previous ruling that removed Hon. Abubakar Suleiman Gummi from the House of Representatives.

In a unanimous decision delivered on March 13, a three-member panel of the appellate court ruled that the earlier judgment by the Federal High Court was inaccurate.

New Telegraph recalls that the lower court had declared Gummi’s seat vacant on October 30, 2025, after concluding that he defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Gummi represents the Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State in the House of Representatives.

He had earlier left the PDP for the APC, citing internal disputes within the opposition party, particularly at the national level.

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According to him, the crisis within the party created conditions that made it difficult for him to effectively represent his constituents or ensure they benefited from democratic governance without interference.

While delivering the appellate court’s ruling, Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi stated that the lawmaker had the right to leave the party, given the widely known challenges facing the PDP.

The judge also affirmed the reasons provided by Gummi for his defection, noting that political office holders are entitled to seek alternative platforms if their existing party structure becomes unstable.

The court consequently allowed the appeal, identified as CA/ABJ/CV/1606/2025, and nullified the earlier judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1803/2024.

The case had been filed by the PDP and the Zamfara State Chairman of the party, Jamilu Jibomagayaki.

In addition, the appellate court awarded costs of N1 million against the PDP and Jibomagayaki in favour of Gummi.