Lagos lawmakers arrive court over suit on Obasa’s removal

Members of the Lagos house of assembly loyal to Mojisola Meranda, the speaker, arrived at the state high court on Friday over a suit by Mudashiru Obasa challenging his removal.

Obasa was removed as speaker of the Lagos assembly on January 13 by 36 legislators of the 40-member house.

In the application dated February 12 and filed by Afolabi Fasharu, Obasa’s lawyer, the ex-speaker claimed he was removed from his position without due process and while he was out of the country. 

Obasa, who has insisted that he remains speaker of the house, stormed the Lagos house of assembly on February 27 and presided over plenary with four lawmakers.

“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,” the motion reads in part.

On Friday, 26 assembly members in support of Obasa’s removal arrived the court for the hearing of the case.

The lawmakers described Obasa’s return to the assembly complex the previous day as an invasion.

“The Lagos State House of Assembly wishes to bring to the attention of Lagosians, Nigerians, and the global community an incident that occurred on Thursday, involving an unsanctioned attempt to convene a plenary session by the former Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, alongside three members,” Steven Ogundipe, spokesperson of the Lagos assembly, said in a statement.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the rules governing plenary sessions of the House are clear. A valid sitting requires a formal notice to all members, the presence of a quorum, an approved agenda, and the mace — an essential symbol of legislative authority.

“None of these procedural requirements was met during the purported session, with only 5 out of 40 members present, rendering it unconstitutional and without legislative effect.”