The Kogi State House of Assembly Tuesday declared the seat of the immediate past Speaker, Umar Ahmed Imam vacant over his recent defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress to Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The decision was taken at the assembly’s seating presided over by the Speaker, Prince Matthew Kolawole.
Imam had on July 22 announced his defection in Lokoja, alleging that he was shut out of APC and never recognized as a party member much more of a leader down to his own ward.
Imam, who will be contesting under the SDP for the August 11th by-election to fill the vacant seat of the Lokoja/Kogi Federal Constituency, said he waited for several months, hoping that the APC leadership would encourage participation of every party members in its affairs but rather the division and crisis continued.