How Tinubu Orchestrated Obasa’s Court Victory In Exchange For Justice Yetunde Pinheiro’s Appointment To Appeal Court – Report
The judgment by the Lagos High Court in Ikeja on Wednesday, declaring the removal of the reinstated Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, as illegal and unconstitutional, has been described as a political arrangement.
According to a report by SaharaReporters, the arrangement was influenced by the presidency, which involves securing a high-profile judicial appointment for the presiding judge, Justice Yetunde Pinheiro.
The report noted that high-level sources told the medium that the ruling was part of a deal to reward Justice Pinheiro with an appointment to the Court of Appeal.
According to SaharaReporters, sources said the arrangement was discussed during a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday, February 25, between the Presidency and Justice Pinheiro’s husband, Kemi Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
However, Mr. Pinheiro denied the allegation when contacted by SaharaReporters.
The report further stated that sources exclusively told SaharaReporters that Tinubu instructed Obasa not to withdraw the case he instituted against the then-speaker, Mojisola Meranda and the assembly despite being elected back as the speaker.
The report noted that Tinubu assured Obasa that the presiding judge had already been “taken care of.”
“When the Lagos Assembly members met with Tinubu in Abuja, he told them Obasa would drop the case,” a source familiar with the matter told SaharaReporters.
“But once they left, he told Obasa not to withdraw the suit. He assured Obasa that the judge was being handled through her husband, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), and that she would be rewarded with a Court of Appeal appointment”, the source reportedly said.
The report noted that insiders disclosed that Kemi Pinheiro was summoned to Abuja in February for a private meeting with President Tinubu concerning the Obasa case.
It added that sources privy to discussions at the meeting claim Pinheiro pledged to persuade his wife, Justice Yetunde Pinheiro, to deliver a favourable judgment for Obasa.
“Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) was invited to Abuja to pressure his wife into ruling in Obasa’s favour and restoring him as Speaker,” one of the insiders said. “He met with President Tinubu and gave assurances that it would be done.”
When SaharaReporters contacted Kemi Pinheiro, he vehemently denied the allegation, dismissing it as “rubbish.” He further claimed ignorance of his wife’s involvement in the case. According to a travel itinerary shared with SaharaReporters, Pinheiro confirmed he was in Abuja on February 25 but said it was for unrelated engagements.
“I appeared before the Federal High Court in Yahaya Bello’s case, attended a public hearing on Tax Reform Bills at the National Assembly, and then returned to Lagos immediately,” he said.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
