Obasa Sues Lagos Assembly, Speaker Meranda Over Impeachment

Former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has filed a lawsuit against the Assembly and its new Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, challenging the legality of his removal from office.

Obasa argues that his impeachment was unlawful since it occurred while the Assembly was on recess. In the suit, which is yet to be assigned to a judge, he is asking the court to declare his removal invalid.

In an application dated February 12, 2025, and filed by his lawyer, Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), Obasa claims that he was impeached on January 13, 2025, by 36 lawmakers while he was out of the country.

Seeking Accelerated Hearing

The embattled lawmaker is seeking an expedited hearing of the case. He has requested the court to:

• Set a date for an accelerated hearing.
• Shorten the time for the defendants to file counter-affidavits or written addresses to seven days after the hearing.
• Limit the time for the plaintiff to submit replies on points of law to three days.

His case is built on nine legal grounds, focusing on constitutional provisions and the Lagos Assembly’s Standing Orders. He contends that a legislative sitting and impeachment conducted during recess without the Speaker’s authorization is unconstitutional.

Urging Swift Judicial Intervention

Obasa insists that the court must quickly determine the legality of the Assembly’s new leadership to prevent disruption of legislative activities in the state. He maintains that the court has inherent powers to grant expedited hearings and enforce time limitations.

No hearing date has been fixed for the case.

Impeachment and Controversy

Obasa was impeached on January 13 by more than two-thirds of the 40-member Assembly over alleged misconduct and other offenses. His deputy, Mojisola Meranda, was immediately elected Speaker, making history as the first female to lead the legislative body in Lagos State.

Upon his return to Nigeria on January 25, Obasa received a warm welcome at his residence in GRA, Ikeja. He insisted that due process was not followed in his removal and accused the state’s Commissioner of Police of facilitating the impeachment.

According to Obasa, security operatives, led by the police commissioner, stormed the Assembly complex and his residences in Agege and Ikeja, confining his family indoors with over 200 officers. He also denied allegations of financial misappropriation.