Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has disclosed that he nearly lost his position in the Presidency during the political crisis that engulfed the Lagos State House of Assembly following the controversial impeachment of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
Gbajabiamila made the revelation in a viral video circulating online, where he recounted how President Tinubu personally summoned him to Abuja at the peak of the crisis after reports allegedly linked actor-turned-lawmaker Desmond Elliot to efforts believed to be destabilising the Lagos Assembly leadership structure.
According to the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President directly confronted him over claims that Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos Assembly, was actively involved in the political moves surrounding the leadership dispute.
Gbajabiamila explained that President Tinubu reminded him that Desmond Elliot was considered politically close to him and questioned whether the lawmaker was part of the forces allegedly fuelling the internal crisis rocking the Assembly at the time.
The Chief of Staff said he immediately denied knowledge of Elliot’s involvement and strongly defended the lawmaker before the President, insisting that he had not discussed the Assembly controversy with him and was unaware of any participation in the alleged plot.
Despite his defence, Gbajabiamila revealed that Tinubu insisted security intelligence reports pointed in a different direction and warned that Elliot needed to distance himself from activities capable of escalating the crisis further.
He said the President allegedly instructed him to caution the lawmaker and advise him to immediately “retrace his steps” if he was connected to the political tensions within the Assembly.
Gbajabiamila disclosed that after the meeting with the President, he personally contacted Elliot to relay Tinubu’s concerns and urged him to avoid anything linked to the controversy if he was indeed involved in the matter.
The former Speaker further revealed that the situation became more serious when the Director-General of the Department of State Services later reached out to him, informing him that both his name and Elliot’s name were repeatedly surfacing in intelligence reports connected to the Assembly crisis.
According to him, the DSS leadership allegedly believed he was backing Elliot behind the scenes in the unfolding political conflict, an allegation he strongly denied.
Gbajabiamila stated that he again contacted Desmond Elliot afterward and advised him to publicly address the allegations and clarify his position to prevent further misunderstandings, although he noted that the lawmaker had yet to issue any public statement regarding the accusations.
The political crisis in the Lagos Assembly began on January 13, 2025, after a majority of lawmakers impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa while he was reportedly outside Nigeria in the United States.
Lawmakers accused Obasa of gross misconduct, abuse of office, financial irregularities, poor leadership style, and repeated lateness to legislative sittings, allegations that triggered one of the biggest political crises in Lagos State in recent years.
Following Obasa’s removal, his deputy, Mojisola Meranda, emerged as the first female Speaker in the history of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Obasa, however, rejected the impeachment process, insisting it violated constitutional procedures and due process, a development that escalated tensions within the ruling All Progressives Congress in Lagos State.
The dispute later sparked weeks of political negotiations, legal battles, and interventions by top APC leaders before a resolution was eventually reached, leading to Meranda’s resignation and Obasa’s return as Speaker.
Gbajabiamila’s revelation has now added a fresh dimension to the crisis, especially as renewed political tension continues to surround reports of Desmond Elliot’s alleged ambition to seek a fourth term in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
