The Lagos State House of Assembly has strongly condemned the presence of its suspended Clerk, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, within the Assembly premises, calling it an unauthorised entry that violates legislative protocols.
This comes despite Onafeko’s suspension on January 13 over allegations of financial misappropriation.
The Assembly’s Chief Security Officer, Mr. Kabir Kushoro, in a statement on Wednesday, described Onafeko’s actions as a clear disregard for security regulations.
Onafeko was removed by a two-thirds majority of the House and replaced by Babatunde Ottun, who was appointed by Speaker Mojisola Meranda as the acting Clerk.
However, in a dramatic legal twist, the National Industrial Court in Lagos on Thursday sacked Ottun and ordered Onafeko’s reinstatement.
The court ruling followed a suit (NICN/LA/23/2025) in which the claimant sought an interim injunction preventing the appointment of anyone else as Clerk.
The development has intensified the power struggle within the Lagos Assembly, raising concerns about legislative stability and compliance with judicial directives.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the order remains in effect until the motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction, already filed in the case, is heard.
Granting the application, Justice M. N. Esowe issued an ex parte order restraining Babatunde from presenting himself as Clerk.
“The parties shall maintain peace and status quo ante bellum until the motion on notice is heard and determined,” Esowe ruled.
In a statement, Kushoro alleged that Onafeko arrived with unidentified individuals and obstructed the Assembly staff gate with his vehicle around 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
He further claimed that Onafeko later attempted to force entry into the Clerk’s office.
“This act of defiance is a blatant disregard for legislative protocols and security regulations.
“The House leadership views this as an affront to the institution’s integrity and will take all necessary measures to uphold discipline and order.
“Onafeko has an ongoing suit against the Assembly, the Acting Clerk, and the State Government. He should focus on the legal process rather than disrupting Assembly activities,” Kushoro stated.
He confirmed that the relevant authorities had been notified and that steps were being taken to prevent further security breaches.
SaharaReporters reported on Wednesday that lawyers for Onafeko have threatened to take legal action against Speaker Mojisola Meranda for contempt of court.
The warning follows a ruling by the National Industrial Court ordering Onafeko’s reinstatement after he was removed amid a leadership crisis in the Lagos State legislature.
SaharaReporters learnt that Onafeko and his legal team visited the Lagos State House of Assembly to enforce the Industrial High Court’s order.
However, they were unable to access his office as it had been padlocked.
Speaking to journalists at the complex, one of Onafeko’s lawyers argued that Speaker Mojisola Meranda’s actions amounted to contempt of court, and the legal team is determined to hold her accountable.
The lawyer warned that if they returned and the office remained padlocked, they would have no choice but to file Form 48 for contempt proceedings against “whoever is there as speaker”.
In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, one of the lawyers was seen addressing the situation and emphasizing their commitment to upholding the court’s order.
He said: “We are here this morning to give effect to the order of court made on the 19th of February 2025. The court by Honourable Justice Maureen Nkechinyereuho Esowe of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), sitting in Lagos, has ordered that Olalekan Onafeko, resume his office as the Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“That order was made and we have served the order on the House of Assembly duly acknowledged by the House of Assembly.
“We are here today to give effect to the order of the court. We got here this morning we were not welcomed but the office is not open. As law-abiding citizens, we have to leave and look for another day to come back because we need to effect that order of court.
“He is a civil servant of up to 30 years in service and he has served the Lagos State government meritoriously with several letters of recommendations and promotions till he was appointed the Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“So you can’t just by a motion of one honourable who has not even put five years, 10 years into the service of Lagos State government, just wake up and say you are suspending someone for financial misappropriation without any letter stating what he has done at any point in time.
“Today makes it about 40-something days no letter has been served on him of any infractions he has committed in service of Lagos State government.”
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Source: SaharaReporters
