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Lagos – The Lagos State High Court delivered a decisive ruling Wednesday, declaring the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly illegal and unconstitutional. The court nullified the January proceedings that led to his ouster, finding the Obasa removal illegal. This judgment reinstates Obasa and highlights the critical need to follow established legal procedures.
Court Finds Removal Process Unlawful
Justice Yetunde Pinheiro, presiding at the Ikeja division, sided with Obasa in his lawsuit against the Lagos State House of Assembly and Mojisola Meranda, who had been appointed acting Speaker. Obasa successfully argued that the session convened to remove him violated the Assembly’s own rules and the Nigerian Constitution.
His legal team, led by Chief Afolabi Fashanu, pointed out key flaws: 36 lawmakers made the decision while the Assembly was officially on recess, and Obasa himself was abroad. Crucially, the session lacked the Speaker’s authorization, a requirement under the House’s Standing Orders. The court agreed these procedural failures rendered the Obasa removal illegal.
Consequences and Next Steps
This court order immediately voids the resolutions used to remove Obasa, returning him to the Speaker’s chair. The decision clarifies the legal status of the Assembly’s leadership and is expected to impact political alignments within the Lagos State House of Assembly. More fundamentally, the ruling reinforces that legislative bodies must operate strictly within the bounds of established laws and procedures. Attention now turns to how the Assembly will proceed under Obasa’s restored leadership.
Abdullah Korede
