The Lagos High Court in Ikeja has nullified the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as speaker of the state house of assembly.
In a ruling on Wednesday, Justice Yetunde Pinheiro, the presiding judge, nullified the proceedings and resolution of the Lagos assembly on January 13, 2025. She declared the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly illegal and unconstitutional.
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 February 12, 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.
Obasa was removed on by a majority of lawmakers, who accused him of gross misconduct and abuse of office. Following his removal, then-deputy speaker Mojisola Meranda was elected as the first female speaker of the house. Following a heated political crisis that rocked the house over the issue, and after 49 days in office, Meranda stepped down as speaker during a plenary session held on March 3. Obasa was subsequently re-nominated and re-elected by his colleagues.