Lagos High Court has declared the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker illegal and against the constitution.
Justice Yetunde Pinheiro gave the ruling on Wednesday, describing the lawmakers’ actions as a clear breach of procedure. The judge nullified the January sitting where Obasa was removed and a new Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, was announced.
But what truly stands out in this case is not just the ruling—it’s the process that led to the chaos.
According to Obasa, the Assembly was on recess and he was out of the country when 36 lawmakers reportedly gathered to remove him. The court agreed with his legal team that the session was improper because it wasn’t officially convened or authorized.
“The House cannot sit itself into a session without following laid-down rules,” Obasa’s lawyer, Chief Afolabi Fashanu, had argued. The judge upheld this view, pointing to the fact that no formal notice or delegation was given in line with the Assembly’s standing orders.
