Men of f the Department of State Security (DSS) and Nigeria Police, in tye early hours on Monday, stormed the premises the Lagos State House of Assembly, sealing up the offices of the Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, her deputy and clerk of the house.
As of 10 am, armed security personnel have taken over the premises at Alausa, Ikeja, and environs frisking every passersby.
However, Meranda arrived with her convoy at about 11.15am.
Recall that the embattled, former Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, has sued the state lawmakers challenging his removal as the Speaker of the Assembly.
It was gathered that Obasa has filed a motion at the Ikeja Division of the State High Court, where he is also seeking an accelerated hearing of his suit.
Obasa was removed in absentia by 32 out of the 40 members of the state Assembly on January 13, 2025. He was in the United States of America when he was removed in a situation described as “coup,” by President Bola Tinubu.
The development has generated controversy with members of the Governance Advisory Council, GAC, an apex political decision making body in All Progressives Congress (APC), in Lagos, divided over Obasa’s removal.
Obasa, in the suit, was challenging the legality of his removal from office.
The motion was filed on Wednesday, 12 February, 2025, names the Lagos State House of Assembly and Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, current Speaker of the House, as defendants.
In the suit filed by his lawyers, led by Chief Afolabi Fashanu, SAN, Obasa is seeking several reliefs, among which are: “An order fixing a date for the expeditious hearing of the originating summons.
“An order of this Honourable Court abridging the time within which the Defendants may file their response by way of counter affidavits/written addresses as specified by the Rules of this Honourable Court, to 7 days after the hearing and determination of this Application.
“An order of this Honourable Court abridging the time within which the Plaintiff/Applicant may file its Reply of points law, as specified in the Rules of this Honourable Court, to 3 days of the service of the Defendants processes on him.”
Obasa’s application is predicated on nine grounds, including the interpretation of various sections of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As amended), and the Rules and Standing Order of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Obasa maintained that none of the parties to the case would be prejudiced or suffer any injustice by the grant to his application.
