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Justice Yetunde Pinheiro of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has adjourned the hearing of a suit filed by the reinstated Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, to March 17, 2025.
Obasa is challenging his removal as Speaker on January 13, 2025, following allegations of fraud, high-handedness, abuse of office, and gross misconduct leveled against him by 35 lawmakers.
The respondents in the suit include members of the Lagos State House of Assembly and former Speaker, Mojisola Meranda.
The court had previously scheduled the hearing for March 10, 2025, but at Monday’s proceedings, counsel for the House of Assembly, Femi Falana (SAN), informed the court that Obasa’s legal team, led by Afolabi Fasanu (SAN), had served further affidavits on the same day.
“The claimant’s counsel served us further affidavits today, challenging my clients to respond,” Falana stated.
Counsel for Meranda, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), also noted that the newly filed affidavits contained serious fraud allegations against his client.
“There are serious fraud allegations in the further affidavits my learned brother referred to. We shall be asking for an adjournment to respond to the new application,” Oyetibo said.
Additionally, Olusola Idowu (SAN) announced his appearance as an incoming counsel representing the House of Assembly in the case.
However, Falana urged the court to hear the application for a change of counsel before considering other applications.
He cited a Court of Appeal decision, which mandates a trial court to address an application for change of counsel before any other matters are entertained.
In response, Justice Pinheiro ruled that all applications and processes before the court would be heard together on the next adjourned date.
“All applications, including those seeking injunctions and those challenging jurisdiction, will be heard on March 17, 2025. The application concerning the change of counsel will also be addressed on the same day,” Pinheiro stated.
She further directed all parties to file, serve, and exchange their processes before the next hearing.
Following the intervention of the Lagos All Progressives Congress leadership, Obasa was reinstated as Lagos Assembly Speaker, while Meranda was prevailed upon to step down and return to being the Deputy Speaker.
Obasa’s refusal to withdraw the suit, which was filed prior to the political intervention, suggests that all is not well yet between him and the other lawmakers.
In her address vacating the Speaker’s seat, Meranda had said she took the decision in deference for the party’s supremacy and not out of cowardice.
Most of the lawmakers, in an emotion-laden session, also praised Meranda, stressing that they accepted Obasa’s reinstated as Speaker out of respect for the party.
