The political crisis that briefly ousted the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly last year nearly claimed an unexpected casualty at the highest level of the federal government in Abuja. The tense situation forced a high-level security intervention at the presidential villa.
According to a report by Punch Newspaper on 15 May 2026, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, revealed that he almost lost his position because of alleged actions taken by lawmaker Desmond Elliot during the legislative crisis. He stated that his office was dragged into the local political dispute by security reports.
A recently circulated video showed the Chief of Staff explaining how President Bola Tinubu summoned him to his Abuja residence based on security intelligence. The reports suggested that Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency I, was deeply involved in the plot to remove Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker.
Recounting the direct confrontation with the President, Gbajabiamila said, “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.
“The Chief of Staff immediately defended the lawmaker, but the President insisted that intelligence confirmed Elliot’s participation and ordered Gbajabiamila to warn him. The situation escalated three days later when the Director-General of the Department of State Services contacted Gbajabiamila to inform him that his own name was now being mentioned as the secret sponsor behind the alleged rebellion.Detailing the conversation with the security chief, Gbajabiamila said, “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.”
The crisis in the Lagos legislature erupted on 13 January 2025 when lawmakers impeached Obasa over allegations of financial impropriety while he was on vacation in the United States. His deputy, Mojisola Meranda, took over briefly before President Tinubu and party leaders intervened, which eventually led to Meranda resigning so Obasa could reclaim his position.
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