- Safiu Kehinde
Former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has dragged the legislative house to court over his impeachment.
The ousted lawmaker, in a suit filed against the Assembly and the new Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, protested the legality of his removal, insisting that due process was not followed.
Obasa’s legal team, led by Afolabi Fashanu, had in the motion dated 12 February 2025, made a point argument over the impeachment of the embattled lawmaker.
They argued that the removal process, which was executed while Obasa was out of the country and when the assembly was in recess, was unlawful.
According to report, they cited specific sections of the Nigerian constitution and the Lagos State House of Assembly’s Rules and Standing Orders to support their arguments while charging the court to accelerate the hearing of the case.
“This action challenges the constitutionality of the sitting and proceedings of the Lagos State House of Assembly to sit during recess without the Speaker reconvening the House or giving any other person powers to reconvene the House.
“Public interest requires the case to be heard and determined speedily and expeditiously so that legislative activities in the state are not stalled.
“The legality of the continued sitting of the 1st defendant under the present leadership in violation of the aforementioned laws and rules calls for an urgent determination.
“This Honourable Court is imbued with inherent powers to grant accelerated hearing and abridgment of time,” the motion states.” the suit partly read.
NPO reported that Obasa was impeachment by the Assembly on the 13th of January and was replaced by his deputy, Hon. Mojisola Meranda.
The lawmaker would protest his impeachment when he returned to Lagos, insisting that he remains the legitimate Speaker of the House.