Mudashiru Obasa, the former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has sued the Assembly and the new Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, in the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, disputing the validity of his dismissal.
In the suit, which was yet to be assigned to a judge, Obasa is requesting that the court rule that his colleagues in the House acted unlawfully by dismissing him while the Assembly was in recess.
In an action dated February 12, 2025, submitted by his counsel, Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), the plaintiff alleged that he was ousted from his position on January 13, 2025, by 36 state Assembly members while he was out of the country.
The embattled politician is seeking the following reliefs: a court order setting a date for the case’s accelerated hearing and shortening the period permitted for the defendants to react with counter-affidavits or written addresses to seven days after the hearing.
He also asked the court to limit the plaintiff’s time to file answers on issues of law to three days.
Obasa’s appeal is based on nine reasons, with an emphasis on the interpretation of several provisions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution, 1999 (as amended), as well as the Lagos State House of Assembly Rules and Standing Orders.
The plaintiff questions the legitimacy of the Lagos State House of Assembly’s sitting and activities during recess without the Speaker convening the House or assigning authority to someone else to do so.
He added that public interest requires that the issue be heard and decided as soon as possible to avoid disrupting legislative activity in the state.
Obasa insisted that the court immediately determine the constitutionality of the Assembly’s existing leadership because it breaches applicable laws and rules.
While there is no set date for the hearing, he further claims that the court has inherent authority to give expedited hearings and time limits.
Obasa was impeached on January 13 while out of the country by more than two-thirds of the 40- state Assembly member for suspected misbehaviour and other crimes.
His deputy, Mojisola Meranda, was instantly elected as the new speaker, making her the first woman to lead the South-West state’s legislature.
