Obasa sues Lagos Assembly over removal

Former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has taken legal action against the Assembly and his successor, Mojisola Meranda, challenging the legitimacy of his removal from office.

Obasa filed the suit at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, arguing that his impeachment on January 13, 2025, was unconstitutional as it occurred while the Assembly was on recess.

The case, which is yet to be assigned to a judge, seeks a declaration that his removal was unlawful and a violation of legislative procedures.

The former speaker, through his lawyer Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), contended that 36 lawmakers ousted him while he was out of the country, without his knowledge or due process. He urged the court to grant an accelerated hearing, limiting the defendants’ response time to seven days and his own reply period to three days.

“The legality of the Assembly’s current leadership must be urgently determined, as it violates the applicable laws and rules,” Obasa stated in his application.

His suit challenges the interpretation of sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Lagos State House of Assembly’s Standing Orders. He maintains that a sitting cannot be held during recess without the Speaker convening it or delegating authority for such proceedings.

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Obasa, who returned to Lagos on January 25 to a rally by supporters, insisted he was not afraid of impeachment but stressed that due process was ignored.

He further accused security agents, led by the state commissioner of police, of aiding his removal by deploying over 200 officers to his residences and the Assembly complex.

His impeachment was backed by more than two-thirds of the 40-member House over alleged misconduct, with Meranda elected as the first female Speaker of the Assembly.

No date has been fixed for the court hearing.