Gbajabiamila: I nearly lost Chief of Staff position over Desmond Elliot — Says Tinubu intervened during Lagos Assembly crisis

The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has revealed that he almost lost his job last year following allegations linking Lagos lawmaker, Desmond Elliot, to the political crisis that rocked the Lagos State House of Assembly during the speakership tussle involving Mudashiru Obasa.

 

Gbajabiamila made the disclosure in a video circulating on social media on Thursday, where he recounted how President Bola Tinubu summoned him to his residence in Abuja at the height of the crisis.

 

According to him, the President confronted him over intelligence reports suggesting that Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, was involved in efforts to destabilise the 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,” Gbajabiamila said.

 

“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 said he immediately denied the allegation against the lawmaker.

 

“I said, 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,” he added.

 

He further stated that Tinubu insisted intelligence reports linked Elliot to the crisis.

 

“I’m telling you from intelligence that he is part of them. Go and tell him to retrace his steps. That’s what Mr President told me,” he said.

 

The Chief of Staff added that he later contacted Elliot to relay the President’s concerns and urged him to distance himself from any factional activities.

 

He also disclosed that the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) later contacted him, saying his name and Elliot’s were being mentioned in connection with the political unrest.

 

Gbajabiamila said he insisted on clarifying the matter with Elliot, but noted that the lawmaker had not issued any formal statement to clear himself of the allegations.

 

The Lagos State House of Assembly crisis erupted on January 13, 2025, when lawmakers impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa over allegations of misconduct, abuse of office, and financial mismanagement.

 

Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda was initially elected as his replacement, becoming the first female Speaker of the House, before Obasa was later reinstated following intervention by APC leaders and President Tinubu.