The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has revealed that he almost lost his job over controversies linked to the Lagos State House of Assembly leadership crisis involving actor-turned-politician Desmond Elliot.
Gbajabiamila made the disclosure at an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos, saying the situation during the impeachment drama around former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa placed him under intense political pressure.
He explained that President Tinubu had called his attention to reports linking Elliot to the internal rift in the Assembly and warned him to intervene and ensure clarity on his involvement.
According to him, efforts to manage the situation were complicated when his name was allegedly mentioned as being behind some of the political tensions, a development that drew attention from the Department of State Services (DSS).
Gbajabiamila said he later contacted Elliot to urge him to publicly distance himself from the crisis in order to prevent further political escalation.
He added that his relationship with the President helped him navigate the situation, which he described as nearly costing him his position.
The APC chieftain also noted that the episode reflected deeper tensions within the party at the time, especially as political alignments in Lagos became increasingly sensitive ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Lagos Assembly crisis saw the brief removal of Obasa as Speaker, the emergence of Mojisola Meranda as the first female Speaker in the state, and subsequent reversals following political interventions and court actions.
Gbajabiamila’s remarks come amid rising political activities within the APC as stakeholders position ahead of the 2027 general elections.
