How Tinubu Almost Sacked Me Because Of Desmond Elliot – Gbajabiamila

Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has revealed that he almost lost his position during the leadership crisis that rocked the Lagos State House of Assembly last year.

The crisis began in January 2025 when lawmakers removed Mudashiru Obasa as speaker over allegations of misconduct and abuse of office.

Obasa was outside the country when the impeachment happened, and the then-deputy speaker, Mojisola Meranda, was elected as the first female speaker of the assembly.

After returning to Nigeria, Obasa rejected the impeachment and took the matter to court.

Meranda later resigned after spending 49 days in office, while Obasa regained his position following reported intervention by President Tinubu.

The court later cancelled the assembly’s proceedings and decisions that led to Obasa’s removal.

Speaking at the All Progressives Congress stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos on Thursday, Gbajabiamila said the alleged involvement of Desmond Elliot in the impeachment saga nearly put his own job at risk.

According to him, Tinubu invited him to Abuja during the crisis and named Elliot among those allegedly involved in the political turmoil at the Lagos assembly.

“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, who is from Surulere Constituency 1 like Elliot, said he initially defended the lawmaker, insisting he did not believe Elliot was part of the plot.

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.”

“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.”

Gbajabiamila said he later contacted Elliot and warned him to distance himself from the impeachment issue if he had any connection to it.

He said, “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.”

The former Speaker also disclosed that a few days later, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) contacted him, saying reports were spreading that he was backing Elliot in the political crisis.

“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. He has not done anything. I called him again.”

He said the situation became serious enough that it almost affected his position as chief of staff.

“If it were not that I had the kind of relationship I had with the president, I wouldn’t be here today,” Gbajabiamila said.

Gbajabiamila added that he asked Elliot to publicly deny the allegations against him, but claimed the lawmaker has not done so till now.

He also accused Elliot of creating religious division in Surulere by causing tension between Muslim and Christian groups in the constituency.

Watch the video below:

KanyiDaily