Former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has initiated legal action against the Assembly and its new Speaker, Mojisola Meranda. He filed a lawsuit before the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, contesting the legitimacy of his impeachment.
The case, which has not yet been assigned to a judge, seeks a judicial declaration that his removal was unlawful, as it occurred while the Assembly was in recess.
Obasa’s legal representative, Chief Afolabi Fashanu, SAN, filed the suit on February 12, 2025. In the filing, Obasa claims that his impeachment took place on January 13, 2025, with 36 lawmakers voting against him while he was outside the country.
The former Speaker is requesting several court orders, including an expedited hearing and a reduction of the response period for the defendants to seven days. He also seeks a three-day limit for filing replies on points of law.
His arguments rest on nine legal grounds, primarily concerning the interpretation of sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Standing Orders of the Lagos State House of Assembly. Obasa contends that the Assembly’s proceedings during recess were unconstitutional, as the Speaker did not convene the session nor delegate authority to another official.
“The public interest demands that this case be addressed swiftly to prevent disruptions in legislative activities,” he stated. He further stressed the necessity of determining the legality of the Assembly’s current leadership to uphold the rule of law.
Obasa emphasized that the court has the power to grant expedited hearings and enforce time constraints on the case.
As of now, a hearing date has not been set.
Obasa’s impeachment was executed on January 13 by more than two-thirds of the 40-member legislature, citing allegations of misconduct. His deputy, Mojisola Meranda, was immediately sworn in, marking a historic moment as the first female Speaker of the Assembly in the South-West region.
Upon returning to Lagos on January 25, Obasa was welcomed by supporters at his residence in GRA, Ikeja. He insisted that he had no fear of impeachment but maintained that due process was not followed.
The former Speaker accused the Lagos State Commissioner of Police of facilitating his removal. He alleged that security personnel, under the commissioner’s command, stormed the Assembly complex and his residences in Agege and Ikeja, locking his family inside with over 200 officers present.
Obasa also denied allegations of financial misappropriation, dismissing them as baseless.
