The Chief of Staff (CoS) to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said that he almost lost his position last year due to the alleged involvement of actor-turned-politician, Desmond Elliot in the political crisis that rocked the Lagos State House of Assembly during the speakership tussle involving Mudashiru Obasa.
Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has opened up on the reason he fell out with Desmond Elliot, lawmaker representing Surulere Constituency 1 at the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Speaking in a video widely circulating on social media on Thursday, Gbajabiamila narrated how Tinubu summoned him to his residence in Abuja at the height of the Obasa impeachment saga, which was the reason he fell out with Desmond Elliot.
He stated that the president confronted him over intelligence reports linking Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, to efforts to destabilise the state legislature.
“I almost lost my job as Chief of Staff last year because of Desmond Elliot. Mr. President called me to his house in Abuja during the Lagos Speaker Obasa saga. He said, ‘I hear this Desmond is your boy, the one we gave you,’ and I said, ‘Yes, sir.’ He is one of the people causing problems in the Lagos House of Assembly,” Gbajabiamila stated.
Gbajabiamila further revealed that he had to defend Elliot against the allegations.
He said, “Immediately I said to Mr. President, no, no, no. Desmond is not part of them. I haven’t even spoken to him. I didn’t know whether he was part of that. I said, no, he’s not part of them.”
According to him, Tinubu said, “I’m telling you from intelligence that he is part of them. Go and tell him to retrace his steps. This is what Mr. President told me. I said, yes, sir.”
He said he called the lawmaker to inform him of the development.
“I called him. That’s what I told him. Just like the President, this is what he said.
“If you are one of these people, if you are part of them, get out of there.”
He also said that the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) contacted him regarding his and Elliot’s alleged involvement.
“Three days later, the Director General of DSS called me and said there’s a problem. Your name is being mentioned all over the place.
“That you are the one behind, you are supporting Desmond in this event. Of course, the President will not believe that Desmond would do such a thing and I will not know what it sounds like.
“I told the DSS, I’m going to have to talk to Desmond.”
“I told him, I’m going to have to talk to Desmond. He has not done anything. I called him again.”
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives said he asked Elliot to issue a statement vindicating himself of the allegation, which he (Elliot) failed to do till date.
“If not for the kind of relationship I have with the President today, I probably would not still be here as Chief of Staff,” Gbajabiamila said.
Accusing Elliot of attempting to whip up religious sentiment, Gbajabiamila told the party faithful that political office holders related freely regardless of religious background.
He narrated how the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) wrote him a letter to make a case for Elliot.
The President’s CoS said religious sentiment has no place in the constituency as people work together harmoniously.
The Obasa impeachment saga erupted on January 13, 2025, when a majority of the Lagos State House of Assembly impeached the long-serving Speaker while he was vacationing in the United States.
Lawmakers accused him of gross misconduct, abuse of office, high-handedness, poor leadership, persistent lateness to sessions, and alleged financial impropriety/mismanagement of Assembly funds.
His deputy, Mojisola Meranda, was immediately elected as the new Speaker, becoming the first female to occupy the position.
Obasa rejected the impeachment as illegal and unconstitutional, insisting due process was not followed.
The crisis triggered weeks of tension, court cases, parallel claims to leadership, and interventions by APC national leaders and Tinubu.
It was eventually resolved when Meranda resigned, paving the way for Obasa’s reinstatement as Speaker.
The incident comes amid growing resistance to the lawmaker’s bid for a fourth term in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The issue between Gbajabiamila and Elliot had been discussed in political circles, and later became public after Elliot declared his interest for a fourth term.
Asked if there was any rift with Gbajabiamila, his strong supporter, the lawmaker said, “Our leader is a compassionate leader. A leader of thought. We are children. Children sometimes err. If I have erred in any way, my leader, I am sorry. Give me another chance, and let’s move on, and let’s bring more dividends of democracy to the people. Although he has not said that I have erred, I’m just saying that if I have, then this is the situation.”
Discover more from TheTimes Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
