‘I’m  Sorry, My Daddy’ — Desmond Elliot Begs Gbaja But  Faults CoS’ Narrative Of Obasa’s Impeachment  

 

 

By Akanni Toba

 

 

Desmond Elliot, lawmaker representing Surulere constituency 1 in the Lagos house of assembly, has apologised to Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of staff (CoS) to President Bola Tinubu for putting him into trouble with his principal.

 

Eliot noted that contrary to what was transmitted to Tinubu he was not involved in the failed impeachment attempt of Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the Lagos Assembly

 

‘Eliot spoke on Friday while featuring on “Let’s Talk”, a TVC programme, on Friday,

 

He Elliot described Gbajabiamila as his political mentor and apologised for any perceived wrongdoing against the former speaker of the house of representatives.

 

“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,” Elliot said.

 

 

 

“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, my scorecard is there. You know the thing that I have done.”

 

The Surulere lawmaker, however, rejected the narrative surrounding the impeachment of Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of Lagos Assembly.

 

Eliot expressed shock that his name was in any way mentioned in connection with the controversial impeachment let alone being considered as the mastermind.

 

The former Nollywood actor noted that he was out of the country when the incident happened.

 

Eliot, however, said that he  would not join issues with Gbajabiamila on his involvement or otherwise with the impeachment adding that doing so will be disrespectful to a man he considers as his political mentor.

 

“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,” the lawmaker said.

 

“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.

 

“You know, I don’t think it’s time for me to start saying things like he’s wrong, he’s not saying the truth, or stuff like that.

 

“I don’t think that’s what we need now in this country, in Surulere, to start with. I wasn’t the mastermind of it.”

 

The legislator spoke to clear his name concerning his alleged involvement in the failed impeachment of Obasa as claimed by Gbajabiamila.

 

Recall that on Thursday, Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff (CoS) to Tinubu, said he nearly lost his job during the Lagos assembly speakership crisis last year.

 

 

On January 2025, the story broke that Obasa had been impeached as speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly by a majority of the lawmakers for gross misconduct and abuse of office.

 

 

Obasa was ousted while he was abroad, after which the then-deputy speaker, Mojisola Meranda, was elected the first female speaker of the house.

 

Upon returning to the country, Obasa rejected his impeachment and subsequently challenged 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.