We have concluded arguments; that one does not arise again. He’s not withdrawing,” declared Obasa’s lawyer, as the Lagos Speaker’s legal gambit prolongs a crisis even presidential intervention couldn’t fully resolve.
Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), counsel to Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, has dismissed speculation that his client will withdraw a lawsuit challenging his January 2025 removal, despite President Bola Tinubu’s mediation in the leadership crisis. “We have concluded arguments; that one does not arise again. He’s not withdrawing,” Fashanu told The PUNCH, confirming they await Justice Yetunde Pinheiro’s reserved judgment. The stance contradicts APC chieftain Otunba Henry Ajomale’s assurance that Obasa would soon drop the case following Tinubu’s intervention, stating, “Very soon, (at) the next sitting, you will see the difference.”
The lawsuit stems from a 49-day leadership tussle that saw Mojisola Meranda become Lagos’ first female Speaker before Obasa’s reinstatement on March 3, 2025. Though the APC national leadership brokered peace, including a March 12 meeting with Tinubu, the Assembly remains adjourned sine die. Clerk Ottun Babatunde hinted at a post-Sallah resumption, noting committees still function despite the plenary pause. Meanwhile, sources reveal Obasa is currently in Mecca for pilgrimage, further delaying legislative activities.
The protracted crisis has paralyzed the Assembly’s operations, raising questions about governance in Nigeria’s economic hub. While Tinubu’s mediation aimed to quell tensions, Obasa’s refusal to withdraw the lawsuit suggests unresolved grievances. As Lagos awaits the court’s verdict, the political stalemate underscores deeper factional rifts within the state’s ruling party.