Embattled former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has taken legal action to contest his impeachment.
Obasa is suing the Lagos Assembly and the newly-appointed Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, at the State High Court in Ikeja. He claims that his removal was unlawful, arguing that it occurred during the Assembly’s recess, which he believes invalidates the action.
In a motion filed on February 12, 2025, through his counsel led by Chief Afolabi Fashanu, SAN, Obasa is requesting an expedited hearing of his case.
Obasa was impeached on January 13, 2025, while abroad, by 36 lawmakers. Upon returning to Nigeria, he challenged the legitimacy of his removal, asserting that he remained the rightful Speaker.
His suit includes a request for the court to set a date for an expedited hearing and to shorten the time for defendants to respond to seven days after the application is heard. He also seeks to reduce the time for filing replies to three days.
Obasa’s application is based on several legal grounds, including the interpretation of key sections of the Nigerian Constitution and the Rules of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The motion challenges the constitutionality of the Assembly’s sitting during its recess without reconvening by the Speaker or granting authority to another person to do so. It emphasizes the urgency of the case, citing the need to ensure legislative activities are not disrupted.
Obasa’s legal team argues that the continued operation of the Assembly under its current leadership, in violation of the law, requires immediate judicial review.
No hearing date has been set for the case as of yet.
