The suspended Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Olalekan Onafeko, has resumed duty following a court order reinstating him.
Onafeko was suspended on January 13, the same day 36 out of 40 lawmakers removed Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker during plenary.
Challenging his indefinite suspension, Onafeko approached the National Industrial Court (NIC), which ordered his reinstatement pending the determination of the suit he filed against the state government and other parties.
Speaking to journalists in his office on Thursday, Onafeko emphasized that he was appointed as Clerk in 2022 for a four-year term, with eligibility for reappointment under the Lagos State House of Assembly Legislative Service Commission Law.
Expressing confusion over his suspension, he stated that he was neither given prior notice nor accused of any wrongdoing.
“With the court’s order reinstating me as Clerk of the House, the illegality and legislative rascality by the lawmakers have been nullified,” he said.
“By implication, the court has ordered that I resume my duties as Clerk pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction already filed in the suit.
“The order has been duly served on the concerned parties.
“This is a victory for the rule of law and the ethos of a civil society. The court remains the last hope of the common man, including the oppressed,” Onafeko concluded.
