Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has revealed that he nearly lost his position over Desmond Elliot’s alleged involvement in the Lagos State House of Assembly impeachment crisis.
Speaking at an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos on Thursday, Gbajabiamila said the controversy surrounding the impeachment of former Lagos Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa drew the attention of President Tinubu and security agencies, placing him under intense scrutiny because of his relationship with Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency I in the Assembly.
According to the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, President Tinubu summoned him during the height of the crisis and questioned Elliot’s role in the political turmoil.
“I almost lost my job as Chief of Staff last year because of this issue,” Gbajabiamila said. “The President called me to his study in Abuja during the Obasa saga and said, ‘I hear this one is your boy, the one we gave to you.’ I replied, ‘Yes, sir.’ He then said, ‘He is part of the people causing problems in the Lagos State House of Assembly.’”
Gbajabiamila said he immediately moved to calm tensions and defend himself before the President, despite knowing Elliot had been linked to the crisis.
“I told the President, ‘No, sir, he is not part of them,’ even though I knew my boy was involved,” he said. “The President then warned me, saying intelligence reports suggested otherwise and instructed me to tell him to retrace his steps.”
He explained that he later contacted Elliot directly and urged him to publicly distance himself from the impeachment plot. However, the controversy reportedly escalated when the Department of State Services (DSS) informed him that his own name was being linked to the crisis.
“Three days later, the Director-General of the DSS called me and said, ‘There’s a problem. Your name is being mentioned everywhere. They say you are supporting Desmond in this matter,’” he recounted.
Gbajabiamila added that President Tinubu would naturally find it difficult to believe Elliot acted independently without his knowledge, given their close political relationship.
“If I didn’t have the kind of relationship I have with Mr President, I probably wouldn’t be here today,” he said. “I even suspected my phone was being monitored because the matter had become so serious.”
He also accused Elliot of deepening tensions within the party by allegedly introducing religious divisions into the political dispute through official correspondence.
The Obasa impeachment crisis
The Lagos Assembly crisis began early last year when lawmakers impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa over allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office. Following his removal, Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda became the first woman to serve as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Obasa, however, rejected the impeachment upon returning to Nigeria and challenged the decision in court. The political standoff was eventually resolved after Meranda stepped down and Obasa was reinstated as Speaker, reportedly following the intervention of President Tinubu.
A court later nullified the impeachment proceedings and resolutions that led to Obasa’s removal.
Gbajabiamila’s remarks come amid growing political activity ahead of the 2027 elections, as Desmond Elliot seeks the APC ticket for another electoral contest.
After obtaining his nomination form, Elliot said his ambition was driven by a desire to continue serving the people and advancing the party’s goals.
“This step is born out of my continued commitment to serve, consolidate the progress we have made together, and further advance our collective aspirations,” he said. “I remain deeply grateful for the trust, encouragement, and solidarity you have shown me over the years.”
However, reports suggest the actor-turned-politician may not be the preferred candidate of influential figures within the ruling party.
