By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has revealed how he nearly lost his position during the Lagos State House of Assembly crisis involving Speaker Mudashiru Obasa over allegations linking lawmaker Desmond Elliot to the political tension.
Gbajabiamila disclosed this while recounting a meeting with President Tinubu during the height of the Obasa impeachment saga.
According to him, the President summoned him to his residence in Abuja over reports that Elliot was among those allegedly fuelling the crisis within the Lagos Assembly.
“I almost lost my job as Chief of Staff last year because of this matter,” Gbajabiamila said.
Recalling the meeting, he said Tinubu questioned him directly about Elliot’s alleged involvement.
“Mr President called me to his study in Abuja during the Obasa saga,” he stated.
“He said, ‘I hear this Desmond is your boy, the one we gave to you.’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’”
Gbajabiamila said the President informed him that intelligence reports linked the Surulere lawmaker to individuals allegedly causing unrest in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“We hear he is part of the people causing problems in Lagos,” he quoted Tinubu as saying.
The Chief of Staff said he immediately defended Elliot, insisting he was unaware of any involvement by the lawmaker.
“I said, ‘Mr President, no, no, no. Desmond is not part of that,’” he said.
However, Gbajabiamila noted that Tinubu insisted the intelligence reports pointed otherwise and instructed him to caution the lawmaker.
“Well, I’m telling you from intelligence that he is part of it,” he quoted the President as saying.
“Go and tell him to retrace his steps.”
Consequently, Gbajabiamila said he immediately contacted Elliot over the allegation.“I had to speak to Desmond because I didn’t know whether he was part of it or not,” he stated.
He, however, did not disclose the outcome of the conversation with the lawmaker.
