Court Reinstates Olalekan Onafeko As ‘Clerk’ Of Lagos State House of Assembly.
A National Industrial Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the reinstatement of Olalekan Onafeko as the Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly following his controversial removal.
Justice M. N. Esowe granted the order in response to an ex parte application filed by Onafeko’s legal representative, Yusuf Nurudeen. The case, marked NICN/LA/23/2025, was instituted against the Lagos State Government, the Lagos State Civil Service Commission, the Lagos State House of Assembly Service Commission, the Speaker of the House, the Attorney-General of Lagos State, and Babatunde Ottun.
Onafeko, who served as Clerk until 13 January, was dismissed amid a leadership shake-up following the ousting of former Speaker Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa. The transition saw Mojisola Lasbat Meranda assume the role of Speaker, while Babatunde Ottun was appointed acting Clerk, a move that sparked tensions within the Assembly and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In his suit, Onafeko sought an interim injunction preventing the defendants from recognising Ottun—or any other person—as Clerk until a motion for an interlocutory injunction is resolved.
Ruling on the ex parte application, Justice Esowe directed that Ottun “cease to parade himself as Clerk” and ordered all parties to revert to the status quo before the leadership crisis.
“Both parties shall maintain peace and revert to the situation that existed before the dispute until the motion on notice is heard and determined,” the judge ruled.
The court has scheduled the hearing of the motion on notice for 3 March 2025.
