15th February, 2025
A high-stakes legal battle is brewing in Lagos as the former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has taken the Assembly and its new Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, to court, challenging the legitimacy of his dramatic removal from office.
Obasa, who was unseated while reportedly out of the country, is now demanding the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja overturn the decision, arguing that his removal was unconstitutional and executed while the Assembly was on recess.
In an urgent suit filed on February 12, 2025, through his lawyer, Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), Obasa is calling for a swift ruling, asking the court to fast-track proceedings and compel the defendants to respond within seven days.
He also seeks an order limiting his own response time to three days, insisting that the case is of critical public interest.
According to the former Speaker, his removal on January 13, 2025, by 36 lawmakers violated the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Assembly’s own Standing Orders.
He argued that no sitting should have taken place without the Speaker’s formal convening of the House, making the process unlawful.
With Lagos politics now on edge, the outcome of this legal faceoff could have far-reaching consequences for the state’s legislative authority.
No date has been set for the hearing.
