The Department of State Security and Nigeria Police have sealed the offices of the Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, her deputy and clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The security operatives stormed the complex early Monday morning to seal off the complex and took over the premises at Alausa, Ikeja, and environs, frisking every passerby.
Meranda arrived with her convoy at about 11.15am. one hour late when the security operatives have taken over the complex.
The action, it was learnt, was in response to Obasa’s legal case filed at the Ikeja Division of the State High Court, challenging his removal as the Speaker of the Assembly.
Obasa, through his counsel Chief Afolabi Fashanu, SAN, seeks an order fixing a date for the expeditious hearing of the originating summons; and an order of the Court to bridge the time within which the Defendants may file their response by way of counter affidavits/written addresses as specified by the Rules of this Court, to 7 days after the hearing and determination of this Application.
Part of Obasa’s prayers include “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 hinged 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.
The suit read in part: “This application is predicated among which he stated the suit concerns the interpretation of Sections 36; 90; 92(2)(c); 101 and 311 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As amended) vis-à-vis ORDER V RULE 18(2) and Order II Rule 9(1)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) OF RULES AND STANDING ORDER OF LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY (which enjoy constitutional flavor and status);
“The action borders on the constitutionality or otherwise of the sitting and proceedings of the Lagos State House of Assembly of the 13th January, 2025 where the Plaintiff herein, as Honourable Speaker was said to be impeached.
“This action challenges the constitutionality of the sitting and proceedings of the Lagos State House of Assembly to sit during recess without the Speaker reconvening the House or giving any other person powers to reconvene the House.
“Public interest requires the case to be heard and determined speedily and expeditiously so that legislative activities in the State is not stalled.
“The legality of the continued sitting of the 1st defendant under the present leadership in violation of the aforementioned laws and rules calls for an urgent determination;
“The nature of this action is such that is required to be heard and determined expeditiously having regard to the exceptional circumstances surrounding same;
“There is need to abridge the time within which the Defendants may file their response to the originating summon as well as time within which the claimant/Applicant may file its reply on point of law; and
“This Honourable Court is imbued with inherent powers to grant accelerated hearing and abridgment of time; and
“It is expedient to grant accelerated hearing of this action and abridgment of time for parties to file the relevant processes in the interest of justice.”
According to Obasa, none of the parties to the case would be prejudiced or suffer any injustice by the grant to his application.
