Lawmaker representing Surulere I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliot, has said he believed the January 2025 attempt to remove Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker had the backing of President Bola Tinubu, adding that lawmakers were left confused during the unfolding political crisis.
Speaking in a Tuesday interview, Elliot said he was surprised by recent comments made by Femi Gbajabiamila, who linked him to the impeachment move against Obasa.
The crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly began in January 2025 when Obasa was removed as Speaker after a majority of lawmakers accused him of gross misconduct and abuse of office while he was outside the country.
He was replaced by his then deputy, Mojisola Meranda, who became the first female Speaker of the Assembly.
However, Meranda’s tenure lasted only 49 days before she stepped down, paving the way for Obasa’s reinstatement following reported intervention by President Bola Tinubu.
The controversy resurfaced after Gbajabiamila, during a meeting with stakeholders in Surulere, alleged that he nearly lost his position in the presidency due to Elliot’s alleged role in the impeachment process.
He also claimed he had instructed Elliot to publicly distance himself from the move.
Responding, Elliot said he was shocked that his political mentor revisited an issue he believed had already been settled.
“I spoke with him (Gbajabiamila) during that period. He is my leader, he would always be my leader.
“He spoke to me in that period and he never at any point in time asked me to make a public opinion. We spoke at that period and whatever he told me, I took to the house, ” he said.
Elliot explained that he was outside Nigeria when the impeachment crisis unfolded, saying he had travelled to South Africa with his wife during a recess period for a family wedding.
“I wasn’t in the country. My wife and I travelled during the period of January 2025.
”We were on recess and it was an opportunity for us to travel,” he said.
He added that by the time he returned, a majority of lawmakers had already signed the impeachment notice against Obasa.
“I was also as confused as anybody was and then I saw that almost everyone had signed. And pretty much I thought it was from the president and I appended my own signature,” he said.
Elliot further stated that Tinubu later met with lawmakers and clarified that he did not authorise the impeachment, directing that Obasa be reinstated as Speaker.
He also said he told Gbajabiamila during the period that he could not abandon his colleagues without carrying along a significant number of lawmakers.
“We spoke at that period and whatever he told me, I took to the house, because I told him it would be cowardly of me to leave 36 people and move to another side without taking a chunk of people, so I told the chunk of people what I heard,” he said.
Describing the matter as resolved, Elliot expressed surprise that Gbajabiamila brought it up again amid ongoing political tensions in Surulere.
“Because it is a matter that has been dead and buried, Mr. President said it is over, so for my leader to bring the issue up at this political time is quite surprising to me,” he said.
The development comes as Elliot seeks a fourth term in the Lagos Assembly, while Gbajabiamila has reportedly endorsed his challenger, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, a former aide to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Elliot had earlier issued a public apology to Gbajabiamila on May 15 over the dispute.
