The National Industrial Court in Lagos has ordered the reinstatement of the sacked Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Olalekan Onafeko.
Justice M. N. Esowe issued the order following an ex parte application filed by Onafeko through his lawyer, Yusuf Nurudeen, against the Lagos State Government, the Civil Service Commission, the House of Assembly Service Commission, the Speaker, the Attorney-General, and Babatunde Ottun, who was appointed as Onafeko’s replacement.
Onafeko lost his position on January 13, following the removal of Hon. Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker and the election of Mojisola Lasbat Meranda as his replacement. His dismissal sparked controversy within the Lagos House of Assembly and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In the suit NICN/LA/23/2025, Onafeko sought an interim injunction restraining the defendants from appointing or recognizing any other individual as Clerk pending the hearing of the case.
Granting the application, Justice Esowe ordered Ottun to stop parading himself as Clerk, reinstating the status quo ante bellum—the state of affairs before the leadership crisis. The judge also directed all parties to maintain peace until the motion on notice is heard on March 3, 2024.