**Naija News: Court of Appeal Upholds Abubakar Gummi's Seat in House of Representatives** In a significant ruling, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned a Federal High Court judgement that sought to sack Abubakar Gummi, a member of the House of Representatives from Zamfara State. The appellate court delivered its judgement on Friday, finding that Gummi's decision to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was valid. Gummi, who represents the Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency in Zamfara State, had defected to the APC citing internal conflicts within his former party, the PDP. The court acknowledged that a party member has the right to seek a better platform to contest elections, particularly if their current party is experiencing internal strife. The Court of Appeal panel held that Gummi's decision to defect was not invalid, and that he had a legitimate reason to do so. In fact, the court went further to say that a party member has the inherent right to abandon their party if it is no longer serving their constituents' interests. This ruling is a significant victory for Gummi, who was facing the possibility of losing his seat in the House of Representatives. The court also awarded N1 million in favour of Gummi against the PDP and the Zamfara State party chairperson, Jamilu Jibomagayaki, who had brought the initial case against him. Gummi had cited the crisis within the PDP as a reason for his defection, stating that he could no longer effectively represent his constituents or ensure that they benefited from democratic dividends without interference from others. This ruling is a testament to the flexibility of Nigeria's electoral laws and the rights of party members to change their allegiances if necessary. As the political landscape continues to evolve in Nigeria, this ruling serves as a reminder that party members have the freedom to make choices about their political affiliations, as long as they are guided by the law.