LAGOS – Mojisola Meranda, the new Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, is facing a legal challenge as her predecessor, Mudashiru Obasa, has officially contested his removal from office. Obasa has filed a lawsuit against the Assembly and Meranda at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, adding further tension to the already turbulent political landscape of the Assembly.
He argues that the 36 lawmakers who voted him out of office acted improperly, as the House was not officially in session. Obasa’s legal challenge centers on the claim that his removal on January 13, 2025, while the Assembly was in recess and he was out of the country, was unlawful.
His legal representative, Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), filed the application on Feb 12, 2025, seeking several key reliefs from the court. Obasa is pushing for an expedited hearing and has requested the court to set a swift date for proceedings. He is also advocating for a significant reduction in the defendants’ response time, proposing a seven-day window after the hearing for affidavit responses and legal submissions. Additionally, he seeks a restriction on the timeframe for his own replies on points of law, allowing only three days for submission
A key issue in the dispute is whether the Assembly’s actions during its break were constitutional. Obasa contends that the House’s sitting and subsequent proceedings were invalid because the Speaker had neither officially resumed legislative activities nor authorized another person to handle this duty. His case is built on nine specific arguments, each centered on the interpretation of certain sections of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), as well as the Rules and Standing Orders of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
In his application, Obasa makes a clear appeal to public interest, stating, It is in the public interest for this case to be heard and resolved promptly to prevent disruptions to legislative activities in the state. He contends that the court must urgently examine the legality of the Assembly’s current leadership, claiming that it functions in breach of established laws and regulations. He emphasizes the urgency of the situation, the court’s authority allows for swift hearings and the enforcement of deadlines. While the legal challenge represents a significant step in Obasa’s fight to reclaim his position, a hearing date has not yet been scheduled..
