Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has revealed that he nearly lost his position during the political crisis that engulfed the Lagos State House of Assembly over the impeachment of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
Gbajabiamila made the disclosure in a video circulating on social media, where he recounted how President Tinubu personally confronted him over allegations linking actor-turned-politician Desmond Elliot to the Assembly power struggle.
The crisis erupted in January 2025 after lawmakers impeached Obasa while he was reportedly outside the country, accusing him of misconduct, abuse of office and financial mismanagement.
According to Gbajabiamila, Tinubu summoned him to his Abuja residence at the peak of the crisis and questioned him over intelligence reports allegedly implicating Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“I almost lost my job as Chief of Staff last year because of Desmond Elliot,” Gbajabiamila said in the video.
He explained that the President reminded him that Elliot was politically close to him and accused the lawmaker of being among those destabilising the Assembly during the speakership battle.
Gbajabiamila said he immediately defended Elliot, insisting he had no knowledge of the actor’s alleged involvement in the crisis.
“Immediately I said to Mr. President, no, no, no. Desmond is not part of them,” he stated.
Despite his defence, Gbajabiamila said Tinubu maintained that intelligence reports suggested otherwise and instructed him to warn Elliot to distance himself from the controversy.
He added that the matter escalated further when the Director-General of the Department of State Services allegedly contacted him, claiming his own name was also being linked to the political unrest.
According to the Chief of Staff, he again reached out to Elliot and advised him to publicly clear his name, although he claimed the lawmaker never released any statement addressing the allegations.
The Lagos Assembly crisis became one of the biggest political disputes in the state in recent years after lawmakers removed Obasa and installed his deputy, Mojisola Meranda, as the first female Speaker of the Assembly.
Obasa, however, rejected the impeachment, insisting due process was ignored, leading to weeks of political tension, legal battles and interventions from senior APC figures.
The crisis was eventually resolved after Meranda stepped down, allowing Obasa to return as Speaker.
PUNCH Online stated that it could not independently verify Desmond Elliot’s alleged role in the political standoff.
The controversy also comes amid increasing opposition to Elliot’s reported ambition to secure a fourth term in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
