Legal team of Mudashiru Obasa, has explained why the former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly is still staying away from the assembly premises.
During a recent chat with the Punch Newspaper, Obasa’s lead consel Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), said they won’t withdraw their case and that they’re ready for the court hearing on February 28.
He said despite the political efforts to resolve the Assembly crisis, Obasa won’t resume duty in the Assembly until the court decides.
Fashanu said returning to the Assembly before a court verdict would be illegal.
Recall that Obasa was removed by majority of the lawmakers on January 13, 2025. And he had taken the new Speaker, Mojisola Meranda and the Assembly to the state High Court in Ikeja in February over the matter.
He was in the US when he first heard of his removal and has since denied its validity, citing procedural irregularities by about 36 lawmakers involved.
On his return on January 25, Obasa said he remained the Speaker until due process was followed. He said in his own words: “I am convinced I am secure until the process is followed, any attempt to remove me must follow the proper process.”
The Assembly has since been in a deep crisis that has even baffled the powerful Governors Advisory Council.
In the middle of the impasse, President Bola Tinubu reportedly engaged the services of former governors of Osun and Ogun states, Chief Bisi Akande and Aremo Olusegun Osoba to mediate the crisis.
The Punch noted that these APC chieftains met with the parties involved for two days from Sunday to Monday. And the mediation panel proposed that both Obasa and Meranda step down their claims to the speakership for another lawmaker from Lagos West Senatorial District.
There are also reports that the panel wanted Obasa to withdraw the suit and tender a resignation. But when asked about these reports, Fashanu described them as unconfirmed, saying no formal communication had been received about any settlement offer.
He said his client had not indicated any intention to withdraw the suit and they are working towards the case.
Fashanu reiterated his team’s commitment to defend Obasa’s position, reminding readers that lawyers do all they can, but the final decision is with the judge.
He said determining if a negotiated settlement would be in Obasa’s interest is for his client, not a political decision for lawyers.
When asked if Obasa would return to the Assembly before the court’s ruling, Fashanu said his client would not do anything illegal by doing so.
He said any premature re-entry into the Assembly would be against the law and noted that the respondents in the case have not filed their responses.
A source close to Obasa also said the former Speaker will not resign at this stage since the situation has not gotten to that level.
In a related development, the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of three Assembly workers by the DSS over alleged assault on security officers.
The trio, Ibrahim Olanrewaju, Adetu Adekunle and Fatimoh Adetola were picked up on February 17.
Justice Daniel Osiagor ordered that they should be kept in DSS custody until they are arraigned, as he needs to look at the case before they can take their pleas. The charges, marked FHC/L/273C/2025, bordered on conspiracy to assault DSS officers without justification while on duty.
DSS also alleged that on February 17 2025, at the Lagos State House of Assembly, the trio hindered DSS officers from performing their duties and engaged in cyber harassment by disseminating false information on social media to cause public disturbance.
These are said to be against Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004) and several provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 (as amended in 2024).
Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter has condemned in strong terms the detention of these staff, describing their arrest and continued detention as an abuse of power and flagrant violation of their statutory rights.
The association demand their immediate release and called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding their arrest, detention and alleged torture.Contact him.