The former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has initiated legal proceedings against the Assembly and the newly appointed Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, contesting the validity of his dismissal.
In the lawsuit, which has not yet been assigned to a judge, Obasa requests the court to rule that his fellow members of the House acted unlawfully in removing him while the Assembly was in recess.
The application, dated February 12, 2025, and submitted by his attorney, Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), states that he was ousted from his position on January 13, 2025, by 36 lawmakers while he was abroad.
The beleaguered lawmaker is seeking several remedies, including a court order to schedule an expedited hearing of the case and to limit the time for the defendants to submit counter-affidavits or written addresses to seven days following the hearing.
Additionally, he has requested that the court restrict the timeframe for the plaintiff to file replies on legal points to three days.
Obasa’s application is grounded in nine arguments, which focus on the interpretation of various provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), as well as the Rules and Standing Orders of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The plaintiff contests the constitutionality of the Lagos State House of Assembly’s sessions and proceedings during recess, asserting that these actions occurred without the Speaker convening the House or delegating authority to another individual.
The urgency of public interest demands that this case be addressed promptly to prevent any disruption to legislative functions within the state.
Obasa emphasizes the necessity for the court to swiftly ascertain the legality of the Assembly’s current leadership, as it contravenes relevant laws and regulations.
He further contends that the court possesses inherent authority to facilitate expedited hearings and impose time constraints.
As of now, no hearing date has been established for this matter.