The National Industrial Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has reaffirmed its order for all parties to maintain peace in the case involving the suspended Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Olalekan Onafeko. Justice Maureen Esowe reiterated this order following an application by the counsel for the acting clerk, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Olumide Oniyire, who sought clarification on the court’s previous order from February 20, 2025, for the maintenance of the status quo.
Justice Esowe also emphasized that the court did not reinstate the suspended clerk, Onafeko, as it lacked jurisdiction to reverse actions taken by the State House of Assembly. She instructed all parties to promptly reply to and serve necessary documents on any pending applications before the court.
The case was adjourned to April 2 at 12 noon for a hearing on the pending applications.
Onafeko, who was not present in court but represented by his counsel, Yusuf Nurudeen, had previously requested the judge to fast-track the adjudication of the case. There were no objections from the lawyers representing the first to seventh defendants, and the court granted the application.
The defendants in the suit include the Lagos State Government, the State Civil Service Commission, the State House of Assembly, the Assembly Service Commission, the Speaker, the State Attorney General, and the acting Clerk, Taiwo Ottun.
Oniyire also informed the court of several pending applications, including one from the acting clerk seeking to reverse actions taken by the suspended clerk following his forceful takeover of the acting clerk’s position on March 3. Additionally, there was an application for a change of counsel filed by Kehinde Adeyemi on behalf of the Speaker, the State House of Assembly, and the Assembly Service Commission.
The court determined that these applications were not ready for hearing and adjourned the case for April 2 to allow all parties to respond and exchange the necessary documents.
