LAGOS, NIGERIA – The reinstated Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Olalekan Onafeko, has threatened to file a contempt of court suit against the acting Clerk, Ottun Babatunde, after being barred from accessing his office despite a court order reinstating him.
Court Orders and Defiance
Onafeko was suspended on January 13, the same day Mudashiru Obasa was removed as Speaker by 36 out of 40 lawmakers. Like Obasa, Onafeko challenged his suspension in court.
On February 20, the National Industrial Court in Lagos ruled in his favor, sacking Babatunde and ordering that Onafeko be reinstated immediately. However, when Onafeko arrived at the Assembly complex on Wednesday morning to assume his position, he was prevented from entering his office.
“I was barred and prevented from entering the office. Now, there are barricades humiliating people before they can even access the complex. I have the right to enter that place—I came to execute the court’s judgment,” Onafeko lamented.
Assembly’s Reaction and Counterclaims
The House of Assembly’s counsel, in a letter to Onafeko’s legal team, accused him of breaching the peace by storming the premises with DSS operatives, cameramen, and thugs, despite the ongoing legal process.
“Your client’s actions are a callous resort to self-help, which has been condemned by the courts,” the letter read, further accusing Onafeko of spreading misleading information about the court’s decision.
Meanwhile, Assembly CSO Kushoro Idowu condemned Onafeko’s “unauthorized and forceful entry”, stating that his suspension was legitimate.
Legal Action Looms
Onafeko’s lawyer, Yusuf Nurudeen, dismissed claims that Babatunde was not served the court order, presenting a document confirming that the Clerk’s Office received the order on February 21.
Nurudeen warned that if the resistance continued, they would initiate contempt proceedings against those defying the court.
“We promised to return. If they resist again, we will commence proper contempt proceedings against anyone found guilty.”
With tensions escalating in the Lagos State House of Assembly, legal battles and political maneuvering continue to shape the unfolding leadership crisis.