The controversy surrounding the January 2025 impeachment of former Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa reignited this week as lawmaker Desmond Elliot publicly explained his role, directly responding to explosive accusations from President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila. Elliot, the Nollywood actor turned politician representing Surulere Constituency I, insisted he neither instigated nor masterminded the ouster of the long-serving Speaker, attributing his signature on the impeachment document to a collective belief that the move had received approval from the highest political authority.
Speaking during a television interview, Elliot detailed that he was out of the country attending a family wedding in South Africa when the political bombshell detonated on January 13, 2025. He recounted that upon his return, he found that the majority of his colleagues had already endorsed the impeachment, leading him to believe it was a directive from the Presidency. It was only after President Tinubu personally intervened, clarifying that he had neither authorized nor been aware of the plan, that the lawmakers moved to reverse their decision. “Mr President called us and made us understand that it was not from him and asked us to return the Speaker,” Elliot explained, noting that he was about the 30th person to sign the document.
This clarification came on the heels of a damning public disclosure by Gbajabiamila. Speaking at an APC stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos, the presidential aide revealed that his own position was nearly terminated due to intelligence linking his political protégé to the impeachment plot. Gbajabiamila described a tense encounter with President Tinubu in the Presidential Villa, who confronted him with reports that Desmond Elliot was at the heart of the turmoil destabilizing the Lagos Assembly. “I almost lost my job as Chief of Staff last year because of Desmond Elliot,” Gbajabiamila stated, adding that he initially defended the lawmaker based on trust, only to later receive confirmation from the Department of State Services (DSS) that his name was being cited as a backer of the rebellion.
Elliot expressed deep shock at these allegations, given his longstanding mentor-protégé relationship with Gbajabiamila. Describing his political leader as his “egbon,” Elliot acknowledged the gravity of the situation but maintained his innocence regarding the central role. His public defense was followed by a swift and emotional apology. Appearing on a widely viewed television program, Elliot addressed Gbajabiamila directly, stating, “To err is human, to forgive is divine. So I’m sorry, my daddy, if I’ve offended you in any way.” He admitted that while he did not deliberately set out to undermine the leadership, he recognized that political actions could lead to misunderstandings and promised not to let his mentor down again.
The ongoing fallout signals a significant fracture in the once-solid political alliance. Analysts note that Gbajabiamila’s decision to go public with the near-miss regarding his career serves as a severe political reprimand, effectively withdrawing his protective umbrella as Elliot seeks a fourth term in office. The impeachment episode, which saw Mojisola Meranda briefly become the first female Speaker of the Assembly before a high-stakes political resolution reinstated Obasa, continues to reverberate through Lagos politics, reshaping alliances and testing loyalties ahead of the next electoral cycle.
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