Desmond Elliot.
Desmond Elliot, Lagos State House of Assembly member, representing Surulere constituency 1 of the State, Friday rendered apology to Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff (CoS) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over his alleged involvement in the failed impeachment attempt on Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker of the House.
Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, on Thursday, said he nearly lost his job during the Lagos assembly speakership crisis last year.
Obasa was in January 2025, impeached as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly after a majority of legislators accused him of gross misconduct and abuse of office.
He was ousted while abroad, after which the then-Deputy Dpeaker, Mojisola Meranda, was elected the first female Speaker of the House.
Upon returning to the country, Obasa scoffed his impeachmen, subsequently challenging the action in court.
After 49 days in office, Meranda stepped down as Speaker, and Obasa was reinstated following Tinubu’s reported intervention.
The court would later nullify the proceedings and resolution of the Lagos assembly, which led to Obasa’s ouster.
Speaking during an appearance on “Let’s Talk”, a TVC programme, on Friday, Elliot described Gbajabiamila as his political mentor, apologising for any perceived wrong-doing against the former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Said Elliot: “I know media will come out and say eh, Desmond begs again. Yes, because he’s my egbon, and I grew up learning everything I know in politics through him.
“He might be upset for something or whatever it was. I’m human, and to err is human, to forgive is divine.
“So, I’m sorry, my daddy, if I have offended you in any way. The matriarch of Surulere, mama, I’m sorry if I have offended you, but I will keep keeping the party strong, and to all Surulereans my scorecard is there. You know the thing that I have done”.
Elliot also said he was shocked to have been accused as the mastermind of the failed impeachment, noting that he was out of the country when the incident happened.
Said the lawmaker: “Firstly, I was very shocked when I saw the video. I was actually beyond shocked. During the period, my wife’s younger sister was having a wedding in South Africa.
“So, I was in South Africa when that happened, and you do know sometimes coups happen, and you don’t have to be present, so I knew nothing about it at all.
“Only for me to come back, and what we heard at that period was that it came from the Presidency. You know, and quite naturally, I followed the bandwagon. It came from the Presidency, and that was what I held on to during that period.
“I? masterminding? That was really shocking to me, but I don’t think it would be proper of me to either speak negatively or ill of someone I’ve served diligently for 11 years.
“Only for me to come back, and what we heard at that period was that it came from the Presidency. You know, and quite naturally, I followed the bandwagon. It came from the Presidency, and that was what I held on to during that period.
“I? masterminding? That was really shocking to me, but I don’t think it would be proper of me to either speak negatively or ill of someone I’ve served diligently for 11 years”.
