Nigeria NewsCourt Declares Removal Of Obasa As Speaker, Illegal And Unconstitutional
The court, in a judgment delivered on Wednesday, also declared the proceedings and resolutions of the House, which led to Obasa’s ousting on January 13, 2025, null and void.
Obasa, the reinstated Speaker of the State House of Assembly, had filed a lawsuit against the House of Assembly and the newly appointed Speaker at the time, Mojisola Meranda.
The ruling was passed by Justice Yetunde Pinheiro of the Lagos State High Court.
The suit, filed on February 12, 2025, through his counsel, Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), argued that his removal was carried out while the Assembly was on recess and he was outside the country.
He contended that the sitting during which he was removed was unlawfully convened, lacking proper authority or any formal delegation of power from the Speaker’s office.
Obasa’s legal challenge was anchored on nine grounds, relying on provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Rules and Standing Orders of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The court’s ruling effectively reinstates Obasa as Speaker and renders null all decisions taken during the contested session.