A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Friday adjourned to hear several applications brought by various counsel in a suit filed by embattled Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa to March 7.
The defendants in the suit are Mrs. Mojisola Meranda, and the other lawmakers as well as the House of Assembly.
There was a mild drama over the counsel representing the House of Assembly.
Mr. Femi Falana SAN, had announced his appearance for the House, but another counsel, Abang Mkpandiok informed the court that he was also representing the House, and brought an application for a court order acknowledging the change of counsel.
Mkpandiok said he had been briefed last night by the Assembly and had filed his motion for a change of counsel in the matter this morning.
He noted that the choice of counsel is a fundamental human right and urged the court to take his application first.
Mr. Falana in his objection told the court that he had not been served and remained the counsel on record for the Assembly.
Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, also said he had not been served with the application.
Mkpandiok then elected to serve the application on the other counsel in court.
The presiding judge, Justice Yetunde Pinheiro after looking through the court’s records noted that the application for change of counsel was not ripe for hearing.
The court said, “As counsel himself has admitted, that application has not been served on all parties, I’ll defer same pending compliance with the rules of court.”
The judge held that the application for accelerated hearing would not be taken today and that all pending applications will be heard next Friday.
Before adjourning the case, the judge also granted an application of some members seeking to be joined in the suit.
Through their lawyers, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Olu Daramola and Dada Awosika, members of the house who were not initially listed as defendants in the suit filed by Obasa moved their applications seeking to be joined as parties.
Recalled that Mudashiru Obasa had approached the court to challenge his removal by at least 35 of his colleagues on January 13, 2025.
In the application dated February 12, 2025, and filed by his lawyer, Chief Afolabi Fashanu, SAN, the claimant stated that he was removed from his position on January 13, 2025, by 35 lawmakers while he was out of the country.
At today’s proceedings, Mr. Oyetibo SAN, Bimbo Akeredolu SAN, and other lawyers represented the Speaker, Hon. Mojisola Meranda.
Mr. Falana led Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Muiz Banire and other counsel to represent 34 lawmakers loyal to Speaker Mojisola Meranda while Olu Daramola, SAN, and Dada Awosika SAN, represented other members of the house seeking to be joined in the suit.
After the proceedings, Hon. Meranda informed journalists that she had not resigned.
She also condemned the invasion of the house yesterday by Hon. Obasa.
On the issue of her security details, Mrs Meranda told journalists that her security personnel which includes 12 police officers and 4 DSS operatives have not been fully restored, as she presently has only four police officers attached to her.
Obasa was impeached on January 13, 2025, followed allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office, which led to his deputy, Mojisola Meranda, being elected and sworn in as his successor.