The Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has ruled that the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly was illegal, unconstitutional, and procedurally flawed.
The judgment, delivered on Wednesday by Justice Yetunde Pinheiro, nullified the resolutions and proceedings of the emergency session held in January, during which Obasa was ousted and Mojisola Meranda was declared the new Speaker.
In her ruling, Justice Pinheiro emphasized that the actions taken by the Assembly during its recess were in breach of the Nigerian Constitution and the Standing Orders governing the House. According to the court, the session that led to Obasa’s removal lacked both legal and procedural legitimacy.
Obasa, represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chief Afolabi Fashanu, had filed a civil suit challenging the legitimacy of the process that led to his removal.
He argued that the purported plenary session was held while the Assembly was officially on recess and at a time when he, the then-sitting Speaker, was outside the country on official assignment.
His legal team submitted that the Assembly could not validly convene without his authorization or formal delegation of authority, as stipulated in the House’s internal rules and legislative procedure.
The suit was filed on nine legal grounds, invoking sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), including provisions relating to the separation of powers, legislative procedures, and due process.
READ ALSO: Court shifts Obasa suit to March 17
Obasa also contended that the 36 lawmakers who participated in the session did so without quorum confirmation and without adherence to the proper convening protocol.
He further alleged that his removal was politically motivated and executed in secrecy, without affording him the right to be heard—a fundamental breach of natural justice.
In response to the lawsuit, the House of Assembly, along with Mojisola Meranda—who was named Speaker in the aftermath of the January sitting—argued that the decision was a collective resolution of the lawmakers.
However, the court rejected their position, ruling that the House acted beyond its powers in convening the session without constitutional compliance.
Justice Pinheiro, in her judgment, reinstated Obasa as Speaker and ordered that all legislative actions taken following his removal—including motions, resolutions, and decisions—be rendered null and void.
She cautioned lawmakers against abusing legislative privilege or undermining democratic principles in the conduct of Assembly affairs.
The ruling marks a significant legal and political victory for Obasa, who has served as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly since 2015.
It also sets a precedent for the interpretation of legislative authority and constitutional procedure in Nigeria’s subnational legislatures.
The Assembly is yet to issue a formal response or confirm whether it intends to appeal the judgment.
Crediblenewsng.com
