Justice Yetunde Pinheiro of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has adjourned a lawsuit filed by Mudashiru Obasa, the reinstated Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, to March 17, 2025. Obasa is contesting his removal from the speakership on January 13, 2025, after 35 lawmakers accused him of fraud, high-handedness, abuse of office, and gross misconduct. The suit names the Lagos State House of Assembly and former Speaker Mojisola Meranda as respondents.
Originally slated for March 10, 2025, the hearing was deferred after Monday’s proceedings revealed new developments. Femi Falana (SAN), counsel for the House of Assembly, informed the court that Obasa’s legal team, led by Afolabi Fasanu (SAN), had served further affidavits that very day. “The claimant’s counsel served us further affidavits today, challenging my clients to respond,” Falana stated. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), representing Meranda, highlighted that these affidavits contained serious fraud allegations against his client, prompting a request for more time. “We shall be asking for an adjournment to respond to the new application,” Oyetibo said.
The session also saw Olusola Idowu (SAN) announce his entry as new counsel for the House of Assembly, complicating proceedings further. Falana urged the court to prioritize this change of counsel application, citing a Court of Appeal ruling that mandates such matters be resolved first. Justice Pinheiro, however, opted for a comprehensive approach, ruling that all pending applications—including those for injunctions, jurisdiction challenges, and the counsel change—would be addressed together on March 17. She instructed all parties to file, serve, and exchange their processes ahead of the date.
The legal battle follows a turbulent period in the Lagos Assembly. Obasa’s ouster in January was reversed after intervention by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership, which reinstated him while persuading Meranda to step down as Speaker and resume her role as Deputy Speaker. Meranda, in her resignation speech, framed her exit as a deference to party supremacy rather than weakness, a sentiment echoed by lawmakers who, in an emotional session, praised her while reluctantly accepting Obasa’s return out of loyalty to the APC.
Yet, Obasa’s decision to press forward with the suit—filed before the political resolution—hints at lingering friction with his colleagues. The new affidavits, with their fresh allegations, suggest the dispute is far from settled, casting a shadow over the Assembly’s unity. For Meranda, the fraud claims add another layer of contention, while the lawmakers’ measured support for Obasa underscores a fragile truce brokered by party directive rather than genuine reconciliation.
As March 17 approaches, the case promises to unravel not just legal arguments but the deeper tensions within Lagos’ legislative ranks. Justice Pinheiro’s ruling will likely shape the power dynamics in the Assembly, testing the durability of the APC’s intervention and Obasa’s grip on the speakership. For now, all eyes remain on the courtroom showdown.
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