The leadership crisis rocking the Lagos State House of Assembly took another dramatic turn on Monday as reinstated Speaker Mudashiru Obasa unilaterally changed the counsel representing the Assembly in court, a move that sparked outrage among the 35 lawmakers who had previously impeached him.
Justice Yetunde Pinheiro of the Lagos State High Court has declared the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly illegal and unconstitutional.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, the court nullified the proceedings and resolutions of the Assembly held on 13 January 2025, during which Obasa was ousted from office.
Obasa had filed a suit challenging his removal, naming the House of Assembly and the newly appointed Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, as defendants. The suit, filed on 12 February 2025, through his counsel, Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), argued that his removal was carried out while the Assembly was on recess and he was outside the country.
He contended that the sitting during which he was removed was unlawfully convened, lacking proper authority or any formal delegation of power from the Speaker’s office.
Obasa’s legal challenge was anchored on nine grounds, relying on provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Rules and Standing Orders of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The court’s ruling effectively reinstates Obasa as Speaker and renders null all decisions taken during the contested session.
